


The Sting

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adult Content, Angst, Drama, First Time, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-07
Updated: 2006-03-07
Packaged: 2019-02-02 12:06:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 42,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12726339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: A wonderful Christmas seems to signal a new beginning till Daniel makes a discovery which destroys his dream. Later his hidden despair leads to his making the ultimate sacrifice for Jack and a desperate rescue is launched.





	The Sting

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Language, violence, torture, graphic sex. Danny whumping and Jack worrying. Hanky warning for gratuitous angst and hurt/comfort.  
  
Thanks to my Beta, Gateroller!  


* * *

Daniel leaned back against the wall behind him trying to ignore the pain that washed over him. He didn't think it would be long before they came for him and in a last attempt at dignity; he had no wish for them to see any weakness. The snake had tried for almost eighteen hours to break him and his First Prime had enjoyed taunting him as to his fate almost as much as he enjoyed inflicting the torture. When he'd been chained to the wall this last time, Coram had told him that the next time he was taken before his Lord it would probably be for execution or if he was lucky he might be made a host. Coram knew damned well that he would rather die than become a host, so of course he taunted him with that possibility more than with death. It had been hard then for Daniel not to show his very real fear and he dug deep to keep it from showing. 

He didn't expect to fool anyone, not really, except maybe himself that they wouldn't see right through him but as Jack always drummed into him, _people believe what they see, let them see what you want them to see_. So he tried to stand as straight as he could, tried to school the agony and the despair from his face and tried not to think about the one man he couldn't stop thinking about. 

Jack O'Neill was his colonel and C.O., friend and protector, the one person in Daniel's world who had been a constant in the last few years. He wasn't discounting Sam and Teal'c in that, they too meant a lot to him but Jack was different. He'd been a steadfast friend who had become more. He'd become the brother Daniel had never had, even in some obscure way he'd become a surrogate father, obscure because sometimes Daniel felt as if he was in the company of a twelve year old child. At least this 'child' had the capacity for play and for fun, something that Daniel seemed to have sailed through his own childhood without. Even more than any of that, he had become an anchor, Daniel's lifeline in the tempest his life had become until the day dawned when Daniel realised what he felt for Jack was more than the sum of all the parts the man played in his life. 

Daniel hadn't had many serious relationships in his life, if he was honest there had really only been one that mattered to him, Shar'e, and he certainly never expected the next person he fell in love with to be a man. He'd never expected to fall for an overbearing loud-mouthed soldier who would happily insult you whilst offering to die for you; a man who presented one face to the world while keeping hidden deep inside him, facets to his character that Daniel hadn't yet managed to fully explore after more than three years in his company. 

The two men could hardly be more different yet they somehow managed to complement each other perfectly. Together with the rest of SG1 they made the perfect team. Each complimented the other in a way that could never be explained, the team simply was. They weren't known as the flagship team of the SGC without cause. They still bickered like children but if anyone else tried to come between them they closed ranks and woe betide any transgressor. Jack could cheerfully call Daniel any number of derogatory terms, geek being a long time favourite but if anyone else should call him anything other than Dr. Jackson, or a privileged few Daniel, they would get a face full of Colonel O'Neill. Not a pleasant prospect. 

When Daniel had his revelation he'd quickly decided he ought to keep such feelings well and truly under wraps. Friend or not, he didn't think it was something he should share with Jack. Not that he thought Jack was a homophobe; he was too much a man of the world for that. Daniel doubted that he'd spent as long as he had in Special Ops without some contact with homosexuals or bisexuals along with every other sexual hang-up. However, whatever Jack might feel personally, he was in the military. You didn't get to be a colonel if you rocked any boats, especially not with such a hot potato as homosexuality. No, Daniel decided he wanted to keep Jack's friendship and he wasn't entirely sure he was comfortable with the notion of being in love with a man. It was much safer, less of a risk to his own susceptibility, to stay with the status quo. 

True, when he made that decision he hadn't experienced the closeness that had been the norm with them for years, with this new knowledge locked away in his heart. He hadn't thought what it would be like to share a tent with the man he loved, to lay side by side, inches apart, listening to his breathing, smelling the scent he had lived with for years; that scent and the heat from his body created yearnings that Daniel had almost forgotten. He almost gave himself away one freezing night when Jack suggested that they should snuggle together for warmth. It was something they'd done before on more occasions that Daniel could remember but this time his heart froze as solid as the ice sheeting the ground. There was no way he could refuse, Jack would never understand. Yet how the hell could he lie close to Jack, wrapped in his arms - Jack always seemed to end up pulling Daniel into his arms with the excuse that he was as warm and comfy as a teddy bear and cheerfully grin at Daniel's ire - as they usually did, without wanting kiss those lips he now dreamed about? 

Of course the more thoughts Daniel had like this, the more aware he became of his own feelings, his own longings. He had proven stronger than he'd thought and managed to keep his secret. Sometimes, usually in the early hours of the morning when he couldn't sleep, or on waking from yet one more erotic dream, he felt he ought to tell Jack how he really felt but always in the cold light of day he shivered at the very thought. 

He drifted along like that for months until less than three weeks ago, when fate had taken a hand.

* * *

Juggling with his luggage and his books, Daniel managed to press the buzzer at Jack's front door. He hoped he was doing the right thing moving in with him for the next few days. Not that he didn't want to, no the problem was that he wanted to, too much. He just hoped he could keep himself in check. He managed to control his emotions when he visited Jack for their regular Friday night get-together, even on those occasions when he stayed over but that wasn't so difficult when he knew he could escape the next morning. He was finding it harder on missions these days and it sometimes scared him just how much he could _feel_. 

This time, however, he would be at Jack's for at least seven days, maybe more. It was bad enough that his place was infested but god did it have to happen over the Christmas holiday period when he couldn't get hold of an exterminator for at least four days. Then he'd been told they couldn't advise him of what day they would start work on his apartment until the Works Manager was back from his break as he was the one who decided the workload priority. They had promised that once they started it would be no more than a three-day job. That was much longer than it would take for his neighbours but then they didn't have a collection of rare books and even rarer artefacts. It would cost him quite a bit too, though there was talk amongst the tenants association, which he never had time or the inclination to get involved with, that they planned to sue Mrs Hennessy. 

Damn Mrs Hennessy. She knew, like everyone else, that pets weren't allowed in the building. His fish were only just allowable but six cats certainly weren't. How the hell the woman had kept them secret was a mystery. Well, they certainly weren't a secret any longer. Every apartment on the eighth floor was now personally acquainted with them if only via their acquaintance with fleas! 

The door suddenly swung open and Jack stood there. Daniel's mouth went dry at the sight of his friend looking so fucking hot. _Why did he have to do that? Not that he does it on purpose, of course, god if only he did_. 

"Ya standin' there all day or d'ya wanna come in?" Jack asked with a lazy grin, grabbing the pile of books. 

"Ah, sorry. Just thinking..." he trailed off wondering what the hell he could say. He could hardly tell Jack he'd been wondering if he was going commando, those jeans were so damn tight it didn't look as if there was room for anything else but Jack in them. 

Jack opened the door wide ushering Daniel in. "You ain't still worrying about getting' under my feet are ya?. Told ya it'll be great. You'd have been coming over for a couple days anyway, especially as Carter's going to visit that brother of hers and Teal'c has taken the chance to visit his family." 

"I know but two days is a lot less than seven; can't be helped but I still feel I'm imposing." 

"Fer crying out loud Daniel! Okay, you need somewhere to stay for a while but I wouldn't have invited you unless I wanted to. Okay?" 

Daniel gave a sheepish grin and nodded. "Okay. Sorry." 

"Just go and dump your stuff in the guest room and I'll get you coffee." 

Jack watched as Daniel moved off across his living room towards the stairs. Putting his books down on a nearby table, Jack walked into his kitchen to finish making the coffee. He'd been in the process of making it when Daniel arrived. He smiled at the thought of how much practice he'd get making Daniel his much-loved coffee. The smile faded a little as he put together the words Daniel and much-loved; he certainly was that and it was making Jack's life difficult. 

Jack had known for quite some time that he loved Daniel but he'd been telling himself that it was just as a best friend, yet if he was perfectly honest, painfully honest, he'd only been fooling himself. He'd been _in_ love with Daniel for almost as long as he had known the man and he had finally faced up to the truth. 

Yet what had changed? His secret would remain just that, secret. He couldn't tell the man, he couldn't risk losing what was so precious to him, a friendship three years in the making. He'd worked hard at building that friendship, they both had and it had come to mean so much to him that he would not jeopardise it just to unburden himself to Daniel...for that was all it would amount to. 

Daniel had loved his wife so very much and every other relationship - in the broadest sense - that Daniel had ever been involved in had been with a woman. Jack had considered but ultimately dismissed, the possibility that Daniel could be bisexual just as Jack himself was. After all, Jack had been married and a damned sight longer than Daniel had and Jack was pretty sure that he gave no clues as to his real sexuality. But then he had reason to hide his proclivities, being in the military and being gay or bisexual just wasn't acceptable; or even safe in some circles. Jack had ambitions when he joined the Air Force and he had long buried his real self for his career. 

He'd have gone on doing so if he'd not had the chance meeting with the most exquisite man he had ever met. At first he'd tried to dismiss what he assumed was merely a physical attraction but it hadn't taken long in the man's company to realise there was much more than physical beauty to Daniel Jackson and in time, that _more_ had swept aside the purely physical reaction and the depth of the friendship became the imperative. 

He still wasn't sure whether Daniel would take it amiss if ever Jack confessed his feelings to his friend; he didn't think Daniel was a homophobe, that was unlikely for an anthropologist, but it was possible Daniel might become uncomfortable in his presence and the friendship could be eroded slowly but no less finally. He'd decided he wasn't prepared to risk it, better the friendship alone, than nothing at all. 

Jack had been in two minds when Daniel had contacted him only a few hours ago desperate for somewhere to stay because some stupid neighbour had infested at least the whole of the eighth floor of his apartment building. Everyone had been asked to leave until the exterminators could clear the building of the infestation. Naturally such a disaster could only happen over the holiday period and it would be getting on for a week until they could begin work and probably longer in Daniel's case. 

The idea of having the man he loved to stay with him for a prolonged period both excited and terrified him. He would like nothing better than to have Daniel in close proximity, all to himself when they weren't in danger, running for their lives from the Goa'uld or some other alien nemesis. Except there was another danger in that scenario, the fact that their very proximity could open doors Jack couldn't, or even wouldn't want to close. However, even without staring into those mesmerising blue eyes, Jack couldn't refuse Daniel anything and with excitement pounding through his body he'd happily agreed that Daniel could stay as long as he needed. As soon as he replaced the phone in its cradle the excitement had morphed into fear and he asked himself what the hell he thought he was doing! 

Well he was about to find out. Seven days with Daniel and they didn't even have to work. The General had been good enough to reschedule all their missions to give SG1 the whole holiday period off this year. They'd not had a proper Christmas holiday since this whole SGC thing started, each year they'd had a mission that couldn't be re-arranged, or some emergency had come up. Of course, if some emergency occurred this year the General would have no choice but to call them back in but he'd promised it would have to be a planet-wide threat and every other SG team would have to be off-world before he called them in. So, the odds were greatly in Jack's favour that they would have the full break together. Would it be Heaven or Hell? 

He took the drinks back into his living room and placed them on the coffee table and then sitting on the sofa, he switched on the television and waited for Daniel to come downstairs. As Jack heard Daniel closing the bedroom door he tried to settle on the sofa to look relaxed which was the last thing he was feeling. 

"Do I smell coffee? Thanks Jack," Daniel said following his nose to pick up the mug of his favourite brew. He sipped, sighed and closed his eyes in reverence. 

"Getting better then?" Jack asked with a smile. 

"Oh certainly an improvement, but there is..." 

"Still plenty of time to practice," Jack finished with a grin. "I knew it; no matter how hard I try you'll never be satisfied with me....my coffee." Inwardly Jack cringed at his innocent faux pas. _I'm gonna have to watch that. Damn, I've also gotta stop seeing gremlins where there aren't any._

They watched TV for a while and ate a companionable meal and then Daniel, after having a particularly trying day decided he would go to bed early. Jack waved a beer in salute as Daniel climbed the stairs, slumping back in his seat, sighing to himself. It had been a good evening and he was sorry it was over so soon. He smiled at the memory of his passionate friend trying to explain to him the vagaries of the religious practices of the South American natives, not realising that Jack's fascination was wholly centred on the passionate man talking up a storm with the help of his hands, and not the lesson itself. Jack barely took in a word, just let the cadence of Daniel's voice wash over him. 

Daniel closed the door behind him and leaned against it. Jack had really been on form tonight, in good humour, unless you counted his bad jokes about fleas. He'd not even insisted on watching the hockey all evening, allowing Daniel to watch a documentary on the Incas that Jack claimed to find interesting. At one point Daniel let himself believe that Jack's bright eyes captured his on purpose, except for the fact that they flickered immediately back to the screen. He flopped on the bed and sighed at his own stupidity. He knew he needed to keep a tight hold on his emotions while he was so near to Jack.

* * *

The next morning, later than Jack had hoped due to Daniel's tardiness, they drove into town to visit the Mall. Daniel apologised for being late but he could hardly explain to Jack that he was late because he'd had difficulty going off to sleep last evening, tossing and turning as he thought about Jack in the next bedroom. Then when he'd finally drifted off to sleep he had an erotic dream that woke him up, his blood pulsing and his heart pounding in his chest. It took quite a while to calm down but the idea of jerking off to visions of Jack in Jack's home deflated his erection quickly enough. When he finally awoke, late and with a headache, he was a little embarrassed at seeing Jack. However, Jack was so involved rushing him through breakfast so they could go out before much more time passed, that his embarrassment faded in the light of his irritation at being rushed when it was the last thing he wanted to do. 

It was Christmas Eve and both of them still had last minute gifts to buy. Jack had to get some more stuff for the party tonight and he needed some more supplies now that Daniel was staying with him far longer than had originally been planned. As expected, the Mall was overflowing with Christmas shoppers picking up last minute items, forgotten presents and the ubiquitous alcohol. 

Daniel managed to slip off on his own to choose his last present while Jack went grocery shopping. Daniel hadn't told Jack that it was his present he hadn't yet managed to find. He had spent weeks trying to find the perfect gift but it was proving very difficult. Daniel wanted to get something special but not so special that it would say too much, yet special enough to let Jack know what a special friend Daniel considered him to be. 

There was one particular place just outside the Mall in a small side street that he'd wanted to visit prior to their last mission but they'd been called in on short notice and Daniel hadn't had time to visit there after all. It was what most people would refer to as a junk shop but to one as sharp as Daniel and with even sharper bartering skills it was a treasure trove. The old Chinese gentleman who ran the store, always seemed to have unusual pieces and Daniel hoped he could find something different enough, special enough that Jack would understand. 

Daniel wandered the display cabinets and the shelves, meandering around the back where most of the clientele never bothered to search. He'd just about given up when he saw it. At the back of the shelf almost hidden by a large pottery dog was a bronze figure, that at first glance, appeared to be a lion with a lamb under his front paw. Something drew Daniel to pick it up and look at it more closely. He smiled as he realised that in fact the lamb was lying across the lions' paws and the lion was actually licking the lamb not devouring it and the expression of both animals was tender. It was not only a well made bronze but also it was a perfect rendition of the two animals showing their unusual relationship quite remarkably. It was perfect. 

When Daniel made his way back to the car park he found Jack already waiting in his truck. 

"Sorry Jack, it took longer than I thought." 

"No problem. Didja get what you wanted?" 

"Oh yes," Daniel smiled, glancing at Jack from under his eyelashes. 

Jack sucked in a breath, _does he have any idea what that does to me?_ To cover his reaction Jack quickly asked, "So got all your gifts now then?" 

"Yes. I'd already gotten the others, this last one proved difficult." 

"Special huh?" 

"You could say that." To distract Jack from asking any more questions Daniel quickly changed the subject. "The others will be coming to your place tonight as planned, right?" 

"My Christmas Eve party is a must," Jack stated proudly. 

"A must! This is only your second one," Daniel said wryly, quickly wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. Until last year, Jack hadn't celebrated Christmas since Charlie's death. 

Daniel was relieved when Jack just grinned saying, "Ah, but one Jack O'Neill party is all it takes to make it an event to cherish!"

* * *

During the afternoon Daniel helped Jack get ready for the party that evening. One of the first things they did was finish dressing Jack's tree, pleasantly arguing over how it should be done. 

Finally turning to Daniel in exasperation Jack said, "How did you become such a fucking expert when you admitted you never celebrated Christmas until a couple a years back?" 

As soon as he'd said that, Jack wished it back but it was too late. Daniel flushed, ducked his head and took a step back. 

"Aw dammit to hell, Daniel. I'm sorry. Ya know I've got a big mouth." Jack felt a complete louse. 

"It's okay, Jack. You're right, of course. I...I never had much reason to... Well it never seemed important." 

"It's not okay. You had a crap childhood and I'm damned if you should apologise for it. I really am sorry." Jack suddenly grinned. "Now, get your butt over here and tell me where the hell to put this," he said waving what looked like a rock star in drag but was supposed to be the fairy. 

Daniel grinned back and grabbing the fairy, he climbed the ladder to position it on the top branch. This was the first time he'd ever done this and he was having a great time, even enjoying the bickering with Jack. Before he joined the SGC, the only Christmas parties he'd attended had been stiff formal faculty affairs, or wild bashes in his student days of which he could recall little but they'd certainly not involved trees, eggnog, presents and friends who were more like family. 

He had, of course, attended Jack's party last year but as he'd still been recovering from an injury sustained while on a mission and he hadn't been roped into helping, just arriving in the evening when everything was ready. He'd never have believed getting ready for a party could be such fun. After they finished the tree, they put up some more decorations and much to Daniel's surprise, Jack then proceeded to expertly paint faces on the balloons. 

"You never cease to amaze me Jack; you're a man of many talents." 

Jack frowned at the comment, not sure if Daniel was being sarcastic or not. "I learned a lot of this sort of stuff when I was married to Sarah. She really enjoyed this whole holiday season thing. You'd be surprised at some of the stuff I picked up." He gave Daniel a lop-sided grin. 

Daniel had an odd feeling that Jack meant more than the words he was saying but the feeling went as quickly as it had come and he almost shook his head to clear the cotton wool settling in there. Perhaps he'd already drunk too much eggnog? He didn't think he'd had that much. 

Finally they prepared the dishes of snacks and cleared one surface in the kitchen for the drinks and glasses. The guests were bringing more food and drink and if last year was anything to go by, they'd have more than enough of both. 

"Jack," Daniel called, stopping Jack from leaving the kitchen one more trip to the living room. "You remember last year at your party Cassandra persuaded us all to open the gifts before everyone left?" 

Jack nodded, frowning slightly. "Yeah, sure." 

"Can you not do that this year?" Daniel asked a little plaintively. 

Jack's frown deepened. "I don't even know if it'll come up this year but if that's what you want. Why Daniel?" 

"It's not essential if it's a problem. Just a request." 

"Dan...iel, why?" Jack asked exasperated. _Danny, why do you always think your feelings don't matter?_

"Um, I have a gift... for you that.... I want to give you in private," Daniel replied softly. 

"For me? You want to give it me in private?" Jack was puzzled and touched. Jack hesitated not wanting to say too much, not wanting to risk voicing a situation that only existed inside his own head. He took a breath, smiled and continued. "Whatever you want Dannyboy. How about if Cassie brings it up this time, we just keep ours back for a private exchange tomorrow eh?" 

"Yeah, I'd like that."

* * *

As Jack had prophesied the party went very well. As expected, Teal'c and Sam both arrived early as neither could stay for too long, Sam having a plane to catch and Teal'c having an appointment with a certain Gate. When they left, both were piled high with gifts and good wishes. The General dropped by quickly on the way to spend the evening with his family, shared a few gifts and insisted on 'testing' the twelve year old malt that Jack had made the mistake of bragging about. Lots of other friends dropped in, some for a quick visit and others for the duration, with a few special guests staying until the early hours. Once again Cassie pressed for the opening of the gifts on the stroke of midnight and though Janet put in a token protest the presents were promptly passed around. Much to Daniel's relief no comments were made about that fact that neither he nor Jack gave out their presents to each other and two parcels were left under the tree. 

Daniel finally staggered to bed decidedly the worse for wear but having thoroughly enjoyed himself. He collapsed on the bed not even having the energy to undress. He drifted off to sleep listening to the sounds of Jack tidying up a little downstairs and securing the house. 

Jack climbed the stairs tired but pleased that everything had gone off so well; particularly satisfied that Daniel had a good time. He'd even fielded the bad jokes and innuendos about having to stay with Jack for a while. Lou Ferretti had said that if he'd been given the choice between staying with the fleas and staying with Jack, he'd have chosen the fleas! Jack had promised Lou that he'd get his own back and Daniel told Lou in a faux shaky voice to be afraid, be verr..rrry afraid. Jack smiled as he remembered that. Daniel had a natural sense of humour that he shared too rarely. 

As Jack passed the guest bedroom he noted the door was ajar and he carefully peaked inside to see Daniel sprawled ungainly across the bed, still fully dressed and snoring gently. 

"Daniel, Danny, you need to get undressed." 

"Mmmm," was the only response as Daniel snuggled deeper into the quilt. 

Jack realised he was never going to get Daniel to undress and thought it would at least make the man more comfortable if he removed the heavy jeans. Daniel was lying slightly twisted, half on his left side and half on his stomach. Jack manhandled him onto his back and undid the belt and then unzipped the pants. With a bit of manoeuvring and judicious rolling of Daniel's body he managed to pull the jeans down Daniel's long legs. Jack had an insane urge to touch the golden skin as it was revealed and was very grateful that Daniel hadn't gone commando, it would have been just too tempting. He allowed himself the luxury of looking and before sighing with frustration he threw the quilt that he had pulled from underneath Daniel over the sleeping man before leaving and closing the door quietly. He leaned against the door for a moment wishing things could have been different, wishing he could have climbed into the bed beside Daniel and pulled the younger man into his arms and kissed those sweet lips. More than anything he wanted to know what it felt like to kiss Daniel; were those luscious lips as soft as they appeared or were they firm but mobile. He thumped his head back against the door a couple of times before he finally retired to his own bedroom, wondering if he would be able to sleep that night with the object of his desires so close, yet untouchable. 

Even Jack slept in late the next morning, which was extremely unusual but as he'd expected he had trouble sleeping, his dreams disturbed by images of Daniel. One moment they were in the throes of ecstasy and the next moment Daniel was lying injured somewhere crying out in pain and Jack couldn't reach him. Every time he could almost touch him, Daniel was suddenly farther away. Jack awoke at four-thirty drenched in sweat with the vision in his mind's eye of Daniel calling out to Jack for help but he only reached his friend in time to watch the life fade from his eyes. Jack had been so disturbed that he had tiptoed to Daniel's bed and stood for a few minutes just watching him breathe. His vigil was broken when Daniel murmured in his sleep, smiled softly and Jack heard him say, 'yes my love, just there'. 

Jack had gone back to his bed and never felt more alone. Obviously, Daniel was dreaming about Shar'e, the woman he still loved. Any impossible dreams he may have harboured withered in the realisation that it was just that, impossible. How could Daniel ever possibly develop feelings for him when the man was still in love with the memory of his beautiful wife?

* * *

Daniel awoke to the glorious aroma of coffee. He waited for one of Jack's bad jokes at his expense but he waited in vain. He gingerly opened one eye, having to close it again immediately as the sunlight streaming in the window was too much. He didn't remember the blinds being open; in fact he was sure they hadn't been. 

"Jack?" he waited but there was only silence. He raised a hand to shield his eyes and opened them again, surprised to find the room empty. The blinds had been opened fully and a mug of coffee was steaming on the bedside table. "Jack," he called again, a little louder. Frowning Daniel picked up the coffee and sipped it and finding it perfect, he gulped it down greedily. 

He suddenly remembered what day it was and for the first time he was excited about Christmas morning. In what for Daniel was undue haste, he jumped out of bed only then realising that he was wearing his boxers and a tee. He knew he'd collapsed on the bed too tired to bother undressing. His face flamed for a second as he realised that Jack must have removed his top clothing, to be followed by chagrin that he'd missed the experience. He was determined to miss no more of Jack's company that special day and hurried into the bathroom. 

A few minutes later Jack heard Daniel humming tunelessly as he came downstairs and he smiled that Daniel had managed not to let the indulgences of the night before spoil the morning. It might not have been as early as he'd planned but it was early enough to enjoy a good breakfast without spoiling the Christmas lunch he planned. He snapped out of his fugue when he'd heard Daniel calling to him shortly after he'd left the coffee in his bedroom. Daniel wanted him and Jack remembered in that second that nothing had really changed. He'd never expected Daniel to return his feelings; all he'd really wanted was for their friendship to endure. 

"Merry Christmas, Daniel," he called out cheerfully as his friend entered the kitchen. 

"Oh I wanted to say it first," Daniel laughed. "Merry Christmas, Jack, and may I say it's true that practice makes perfect." 

"Huh?" 

"The coffee, Jack, you've definitely improved." 

"Ah, well it is Christmas morning and I couldn't disappoint the guest of honour could I?" 

Daniel laughed at that. "Oh no, Jack. We know each other too well for such ceremony." 

"Yeah, we do, don't we?" Jack sounded wistful and Daniel frowned. 

"Jack?" 

Ignoring him, Jack went on. "Breakfast is almost ready. After we've eaten we'll relax in the living room and if you're ready we can open our gifts." 

"That'd be perfect." 

Less than half-an-hour later they were sprawled in front of the fire, relaxing from a full breakfast and nursing yet more coffee. 

"Wow, Jack that was some breakfast." Daniel said, stuffed. 

"That's only the beginning, we got lunch next." 

"Oh, I don't think I can do it justice today, Jack." 

"Course you can. It's the tradition to stuff ya face today. But I'll let you rest first. What about my gift then." 

"Oh, course," said Daniel hauling himself out of his seat and reaching under the tree. He pulled out the large box that was simply wrapped in plain silver paper. He handed it over to Jack, saying quietly, "With all my love Jack." 

Jack was reaching for the package and his hands froze for a second at those words. He recovered quickly and took the gift, surprised by its weight. He lifted an eyebrow before placing the package on the coffee table to unwrap it. 

"Not a bomb in here by any chance?" he asked embarrassed despite himself. He carefully opened it, not his usual tearing the paper like confetti. He lifted the lid of the box and found only more packing, which he removed to find cotton wadding. He glanced at Daniel to find the other man's eyes watching him closely. As their eyes met, Daniel's dropped to study his hands. Jack pulled back the wadding to discover a bronze figurine that he couldn't quite make out whilst still in its packing. He carefully lifted it out and placed it on the coffee table. He unwrapped the wadding and gasped at the exquisite rendering of a lion. He ran his fingers over the creature, up its back toward the head, only then noticing the lamb lying across its front paws being gently licked by the lion. He frowned for a moment puzzled; then he smiled remembering just who had given him this wonderful gift. 

"You like it?" Daniel asked nervously. 

"It's remarkable, Daniel," Jack said lifting and turning it around in his hands. 

Noticing the puzzled expression, Daniel asked, "What is it, Jack?" 

"It's just that I'm wondering why. You _never_ do anything without a reason. As exquisite as this is you wouldn't have given it to me without it meaning more to you than just its..." 

"It's us Jack. You and me." 

"You and me? Well, I suppose I can see some resemblance." 

Daniel grinned before continuing. "Really. When I saw it I thought it could have been carved with us in mind." 

"Ya lost me." 

"You're the lion; a soldier trained and prepared to kill, you use your claws to solve problems. I'm the lamb, from choice a pacifist who will always talk his way out if possible. I hope you don't take offence if I say I have, over time, tempered your inclination...." 

"Well it looks as if the lion doesn't mind; after all he is licking the lamb..." Jack trailed off as his mind took an inappropriate path as he had this sudden vision of licking a trail up Daniel's back as the lion was doing to the lamb. The idea sent a shiver shooting through him to settle low in his belly. He realised Daniel was saying something and he struggled to listen. 

".... It's always been like that I think. I always knew I could rely on you to protect me it's just that I wish it wasn't always with a gun." 

"I know, Daniel and you're right. I have listened to your arguments, frequently," he grinned, "over the years and well I think there might be something in it." 

Daniel felt a warmth spread through him at those words; it was rare for Jack to be so open about himself. 

"Now it's your turn. Mine's not quite as large but it's given in the same spirit," Jack said passing a small flat package to Daniel who took it with a shy smile. 

Daniel took the package and it opened easily, the paper merely folded over its contents. Inside Daniel found a long white envelope and he felt a flash of disappointment thinking it was probably something rather impersonal like gift vouchers. He glanced up at Jack and was surprised to see the tension in the older man's posture as he watched Daniel's hands on the envelope. Daniel opened it and found three slim folders inside. He opened the first one and was shocked to discover it was a plane ticket for Chicago. 

"Jack?" 

"Go on," Jack said quietly. 

The next folder contained confirmation for a hotel suite for three nights. His eyes bright, he looked over at Jack who was sitting on the edge of his seat. Daniel opened the last folder wondering what on earth was going on. Inside he found an engraved invitation for two to attend the preview showing of the new Egyptian exhibit in Chicago at the end of January. For once in his life Daniel was speechless. He looked up at Jack and then down at the folders, opening one and then the other and then looking back up at Jack again. 

Clearly nervous, Jack stood and paced to the fireplace. "I've already arranged leave with the General. He agreed it was no more than you deserved, you work way too hard, Daniel." 

"I don't know what to say. I've never received such a generous gift in my life, Jack." 

Jack wanted to say that each day Daniel was in his life was a gift but as he couldn't instead he said, "Did you notice it's for two Daniel?" 

"What?" 

"The plane ticket is for two, the hotel suite has two bedrooms and the Exhibition pass is for two. If you don't object I'm coming with you." 

"I hadn't realised," Daniel replied distractedly, looking again at the folders. "Thanks Jack, I would like you to come but really it's not necessary. I know how bored you'd be..." 

"Er, Daniel," Jack interrupted looking sheepish. Daniel was immediately silenced; sheepish was not an expression he associated with Jack. "The exhibition is only for one day and to be honest I used that as an excuse to get you to Chicago." 

"Huh?" 

"Do you remember that I grew up in Chicago?" Daniel nodded agreement. "You need a break; there is this great exhibition. My family still live there and I want to take you to meet them," Jack finished in a rush. 

Daniel's mouth dropped open in shock. _Jack wants me to meet his family?_

"Why?" Daniel asked genuinely puzzled. 

"Why? Because you're my best friend and the most important person in my life. Don't you know that? I think the folks would like to meet you," he grinned then, "if only to prove to the old man that I do know some decent people." 

"Jack." 

"Seriously, Danny, I'd like you to meet them." 

Not knowing what to say Daniel remained silent, he just nodded his acceptance. He took out the invitation to read the inside of the folder, which was a brief description of the exhibition. However, he couldn't read a word. His mind was in a whirl. Daniel was confused. Not about Jack's invitation but about his own feelings. He felt - hope, excitement, fear? Each one and all combined. Suddenly he was afraid of himself, what he might say, what he might do; mostly what he might read into the situation. He was already wondering if this could mean something special. Was he already imagining more going on here than there really was? 

Yet despite Jack's explanation that he wanted his family to meet him because he was his best friend, Daniel didn't buy it. He remembered Jack's tension, would he really have been that tense if all he wanted was to give his friend a special trip. Jack had said that the whole trip was arranged with the purpose of Daniel meeting his family. _What had Jack said? 'You're my best friend and the most important person in my life. Don't you know that?' God for Jack to say that was almost a declaration._

Suddenly Daniel's world seemed brighter. This trip was something special. All at once he acknowledged that Jack _cared_ , he cared much more than he ought. Perhaps more than he wanted to; but Jack never backed away from anything no matter how difficult. If he wanted something he would fight for it. Daniel thought perhaps Jack had started to fight. 

Daniel felt good, really good. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this good.

* * *

The rest of Christmas Day was spent quietly, just the two of them. They ate and drank to their hearts content. Watched some sappy television programme, played a couple of games of chess while listening to one of the new CDs that Jack had been given by Janet. 

It seemed by mutual unspoken consent they decided just to be. There was a comfortable aura about their relationship that somehow seemed new yet it was also just right. Neither man felt inclined to question the subtle change, yet they both felt it. 

As the evening progressed, Daniel felt a sudden need to be alone. He couldn't explain it even to himself but the need was real. Perhaps it was as simple as he needed to process all that had happened in the last few hours. He excused himself saying he was tired and Jack agreed that he was too but he was too wound up yet to go to bed. He decided to watch an old black and white film. 

"It'll probably put me to sleep and you'll find me sprawled out here in the morning." 

"Oh I doubt that. Too many nights on guard duty have honed your power to sleep at the drop of a hat and to wake before the sun." 

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I think you do need your beauty sleep, Dannyboy, you're waxing poetic." _That's not true of course he's already beautiful._

Daniel grinned, doffed an imaginary cap and climbed the stairs to the guest bedroom. 

Once inside the room he realised he couldn't settle. He changed into a pair of comfortable sweats but was anything but comfortable. He lay down on the bed but after a few minutes of tossing and turning he rose again. He picked up the book on the bedside table and settled down in the chair but couldn't concentrate to read. He tossed the book and his glasses back on the bedside table and tried to relax. The chair suddenly seemed too hard, the angle of the back too severe. He rose and went to look out of the window but the view was not distracting enough. He turned from the window and looked at the room he was in as if he'd never seen it before. He was suddenly assailed by how much of Jack was in this room. 

The prints on the wall were so representative of the military mind, yet they were interspersed with family photographs. There was a painting, a landscape that was most likely of Minnesota where Jack felt so at home. In the closet where Daniel had hung his clothes and stowed his bag there were shelves above the hanging rail that were filled with boxes that Jack had once confided were all that remained of his marriage to Sarah. There were a few items seemingly carelessly left around the room the way a child tossed things out of the way until later; Daniel knew they were Charlie's and they had been placed there very carefully by a loving father. 

Without realising it for a moment, Daniel walked around the room touching many of the items, looking closely at others, all the while feeling closer to Jack and subconsciously relaxing. On top of the small chest of drawers on one corner there was a photograph of Jack, Sarah and Charlie in a happier time and in front of it was a baseball. On the opposite corner was a photograph of SG1. Jack's two families. Daniel smiled at the idea, tracing the face of the slightly younger Jack O'Neill and then comparing it to the man he knew now. He realised that as difficult as it was he wouldn't trade his Jack for the man he had once been. Perhaps that was selfish but it was also true. If things had been different they would probably never had met and his life would have been a desert and the saddest thing is, he would never have known. That thought suddenly sent a chill down his spine and in a moment of fear he needed to see the man he loved. 

He opened his bedroom door and as he half-expected, the door to Jack's bedroom was still open and the light from the hallway spilled onto the empty bed. Jack was still downstairs. Daniel decided to go and join him and watch the stupid film with him. 

As Daniel entered the room he saw that though the TV was still on Jack was no longer watching, he had fallen asleep, as he'd predicted he might. Daniel smiled at the sight of him sprawled across the sofa, one leg dangling on the floor and one arm thrown over the back of the armrest above his silvered head. He was snoring softly and Daniel moved nearer to pull the throw off the back of the sofa and toss it over the sleeping man. As he leaned over Jack he saw a sheet of paper held loosely in his other hand clasped to his chest. Daniel gently took the paper and dropped onto the coffee table behind him as he pulled the throw across and tucked it under him. The room might still be warm yet but it would turn colder as the night progressed. 

He turned back, his eye falling on the paper and realising it was a letter. Daniel was an inquisitive person by definition, it went with the territory of his profession but most certainly not in a personal way and he never knew why he did it but he reached out and picked the letter up and began to read. 

What he read shattered his dreams.

* * *

Waking the next morning, Jack immediately regretted falling asleep on the sofa. He was stiff and was thankful that at least that hadn't been exacerbated by cold, which was when he realised that Daniel must have throw the rug over him, he certainly hadn't been in any state to do it himself. He smiled ruefully at the sight that would have greeted his friend in the early hours but at least Daniel had seen him worse for wear many times before. 

He expected that Daniel too, had slept late and decided that he at least owed him a good breakfast and of course a coffee on waking. Jack pulled himself up, stretched to loosen his stiffened muscles and padded into the kitchen to get the coffee started. He then went for a quick hot shower and changed into clean clothes. When he returned to the kitchen the coffee was ready and he poured out two mugs. He carried one upstairs to Daniel, looking forward to seeing his friend. 

He knocked on the guest room door, calling out as he entered, "Rise and shine, Daniel. Coffee!" However, he was surprised to find the bed was empty and had been made. Frowning Jack glanced around and saw Daniel standing by the window looking out. Jack was struck by the stillness of the man. Daniel rarely seemed still unless he was unconscious. Something was wrong. 

"Didja hear me, Danny? Coffee." 

Still he didn't turn. "Just put it down please, Jack," he replied in a flat voice. 

"Daniel, is everything all right?" 

He finally turned, but he didn't meet Jack's eyes. "Didn't sleep too well, that's all." 

"Okay. Well I'm gonna make some breakfast, anything particular you'd like?" 

"Don't bother for me, I'm not hungry. I'll have the coffee then I think I'd like to go for a walk, blow away some cobwebs." He turned back to the window. 

Jack wanted to ask what was wrong but some sixth sense made him hesitate. "Right. Fine, see you later then." The last thing he wanted to do then was leave Daniel alone, yet he did. 

Jack went back down to the kitchen but he no longer had any appetite. He sat at the table nursing his coffee, waiting, listening for any sign of Daniel. A short time later he heard the quiet footsteps as Daniel came down the stairs and crossed the living room to the front door. Jack waited for him to say something, even if it was just goodbye. But all he heard was the door closing behind Daniel and he had the insane notion that a door had just slammed in his heart.

* * *

The hours passed slowly and still there was no sign of Daniel, Jack fretting more with every minute that ticked by. He didn't understand what could possibly have happened in the few hours between Daniel going to bed the night before and his rising this morning. It was almost as if he were two different men and one of them seemed to have some kind of problem with Jack. Some of the time, Jack told himself. He was just being paranoid and it was simply as Daniel had said, that he'd had a bad night and needed to walk off the tension. But then he remembered the way Daniel would not even look at him at first and then when he'd finally turned, he unable to meet his eyes. 

The more he thought about that morning in Daniel's room, the more convinced Jack was that the problem had something to do with him. But he had absolutely no idea what it could be. _Could I have done something last night? Something I don't remember? No, Daniel would have said, would have yelled at me, or would have turned those big blue eyes on me and made me feel like a heel. Unless it was something so terrible that he simply couldn't bear to look at me. No, dear god I didn't, I couldn't ... please._

The panic faded as he accepted that nothing could have made him do that, not even if he'd been stinking drunk. He loved Daniel more than anything else in the world and he knew deep in his soul that he could never hurt him, not even in his desire to possess that perfect body. 

His ruminations were driving him crazy; he couldn't understand what the hell had happened. He needed to see Daniel again; hopefully to see the man he had been yesterday not the man who'd left his house almost six hours ago now. _God Daniel, where are you?_

* * *

Daniel stood under the large tree watching the world go by, yet not seeing anything. His mind was trapped by the words on a page. He'd always considered words to be his friends, his entry into the past and into the mind of man, never before had they betrayed him so obscenely. He'd had such hopes, seen the possibility of his dreams becoming reality. He had truly believed that Jack could return his feelings. He had opened his heart to love again only for a simple page of words to show him how very wrong he was. 

He'd not meant to read the words on the page, just intended to lay it down but fate had decided otherwise. His eyes had caught those first few damning words and he couldn't turn away. Instead he picked it up and read enough to break his heart; and damn his uncanny retention for words that meant he could still remember each word as if the page was still in his hand. 

_*** Oh you were so right, we do belong together. Even through all the difficulties loving you is so worth it. I'm sorry too, though I think we both apologised over and over when you came to my hotel room that night! I'll never forget that wonderful night my love, it was like the first time all over again. I had let myself forget how you make me feel with just a kiss, just a touch...remember? No one makes me feel as alive as you do. I can remember what you whispered to me when you came, do you? - "You fill me as I fill you". I've never known you so eloquent._

_I hate that you have to keep going away. Oh I knew what I was taking on, falling for an Air Force officer, or I thought I did. But it's so hard. I just need to remember what you said as you left that morning - that this is beginning of the rest of our lives together._

_Never forget that as I am yours, you are mine._

_Please write back soon, I need to feel you are with me._

_All my love, always ***_

Daniel kept playing the words over and over in his mind until he'd thought he'd go mad. Why hadn't he even the slightest inkling that Jack was seeing someone. He was supposed to be Jack's best friend. How could--when could he have had this relationship? What did any of that matter? Jack was in love with someone else. 

The lack of signature at the end of the letter had been plaguing him all day too. Who could be worthy of Jack's love? Where could they have met.? For one brief moment he'd thought it was Sam and that hurt so much. The idea that they were having a relationship of such import behind his back; then he realised how ludicrous he was being. If they were involved it was none of his business and it would hardly be 'behind his back'. He was ashamed of his irrational jealousy. 

After he had walked a little further he realised he really was being irrational. There was no way that Jack and Sam could be having a relationship. They were both too professional and Sam, particularly, would not risk her career for a man she'd be unable to even call by his first name. No, it wasn't Sam. It could be anyone. But the truth was it didn't really matter who it was, it simply meant that he'd been dreaming and now his life had become a nightmare. Why had he allowed himself to believe, it was so much easier when he was sure his feelings were unrequited. Less than twenty-four hours of hope and now all he could imagine was a life of lonely despair. 

As he stood under the tree now he realised he would have to go back to Jack's and he didn't know how he could face him. Not that Jack would know of course but he would and it hurt so much. If only he could go home but it would be at least four more days yet. He'd been alone before he could do it again. _Liar, you'd been alone with no hope, now you've known hope and you've got to learn all over again._

There was no point in waiting. He'd already been gone much longer than he'd realised and he expected Jack would be worried, probably angry by now too. Jack's mother-henning tended to express itself in anger when it was frustrated. Best go back and face the music. It would be hard to try and behave normally around Jack now, he didn't know if he could just yet but he had to remember it was not Jack's fault that he had misread the signs. Jack could love whom he wanted, Daniel was only sorry that it wasn't him.

* * *

Jack was in the bathroom when he heard the front door open. His immediate reaction was to rush downstairs to see Daniel; his second was panic, a sudden fear to face his friend. However, Jack had never been a coward and wasn't about to start now. Something had driven Daniel out of the house for most of the day. Whatever the reason he needed to know; though that, of course, depended on Daniel being prepared to tell him. 

On going downstairs Jack found Daniel, still wearing his coat and leaning against the mantle staring into the flames. 

"Daniel, you're back. I was concerned; you've been gone a long time," Jack said quietly. 

Daniel was expecting Jack to be concerned certainly but he also expected anger. This calm, quiet man was a stranger. "Yeah, I know. Didn't mean to worry you, time just got away from me." 

Jack waited, expecting more but Daniel merely turned away and went to hang his jacket in the hall closet. Jack frowned but didn't know what to say. Unless Daniel gave him an opening there was nothing he could say. Maybe he was wrong anyway; perhaps he was just plain arrogant to assume whatever was bothering Daniel wasn't his fault. 

Daniel hung his jacket up and walked into the kitchen for a much needed coffee. He found a pot waiting that Jack had made. Too tired to bother making fresh he poured a cup and was surprised to find it was good and was obviously fresh. Daniel had to wonder how many pots of coffee he had made in preparation for his return. Daniel's guilt at what he now recognised as his irrational jealousy climbed as he realised how worried Jack must have been and knowing Jack's own propensity for guilt, he suspected he'd found some way to blame himself for it in the long hours that he'd had to think about it whilst Daniel had been out. He knew he needed to control his emotions, to pull himself together so he wouldn't escalate the situation with Jack. Obviously Jack didn't and couldn't be allowed to know the truth; it could destroy the friendship that was now all Daniel had left. He needed time to gather himself. 

"Jack," he said walking back into the living room carrying his coffee, "I'm gonna go upstairs, I'm tired." 

"What about something to eat, you must be hungry." 

"No, thanks. I couldn't eat just now. I just want to sleep. I'm sorry if I've spoiled your day." 

"What's wrong Danny?" Jack asked softly. 

"It's nothing really. I get like this sometimes, not often and I'm best left alone. Sorry, I'll see you in the morning." He turned and climbed the stairs. 

Watching him go, Jack wondered what had happened to the man he loved, the man who had given him a special gift, a gift with meaning for both of them. Where had he gone and why?

* * *

The next few days were difficult for Jack. Daniel was being very polite and very friendly but there was something missing and nothing Jack did could bring it back. Daniel ate his meals with Jack, made noises in all the right places, kept up a cheerful conversation when he was around but he found excuses to go out during the day. 

"I need to go to the library to check some details," Daniel said. 

"I'll come with, could do with the exercise." 

"Jack, you know you'd be bored, it's fine. I'll be there for a while." 

"Libraries don't always bore me ya know, I do read." 

Daniel smiled but said, "Well, then you'd be a distraction. Please Jack, I'll see you for dinner." 

They had a very pleasant dinner when Daniel explained to Jack about his research, proving his point that Jack would've been bored. Then he retreated to the guest room citing the need to work on his laptop. Jack had suggested he bring it downstairs and they keep each other company but after a small hesitation Daniel had said he needed to concentrate and could do that better upstairs. 

The next morning, after a late breakfast, Daniel made a trip to the museum, Again Jack offered to accompany him but Daniel refused saying he would be going into the storerooms below where only accredited persons were allowed. Jack was frustrated but there was nothing he could do other than extract a promise from Daniel to be home for an early dinner as he had plans for the evening. Jack's plans were actually nothing special it was just an excuse to pin Daniel down but he was interested to note that Daniel reacted quite noticeably to that. 

"Plans, Jack? Are you going out this evening?" An innocent question asked with a studied calm that was belied by the nerve jumping in his cheek and the darting of his eyes. 

"No, I want to watch the Final tonight. You remember, I told you about it the other day. You said you'd watch it with me." 

"Oh, of course, I'd forgotten. I did say that didn't I?" 

"You're not backing out are you? It's more fun watching with a friend." 

"A friend. Yes of course. I won't be late." 

He kept his word and they ate a pleasant meal then settled to watch the television. They sat side by side on the sofa; the coffee table laden with nibbles and drinks. They usually ended up sprawling when they watched sport like this, Jack excitable and Daniel amused more at Jack's antics than anything on the television. This night was little different, Jack still got excited and Daniel was amused but there was also an underlying tension surrounding both men. It was only after Daniel had gone upstairs, saying he was tired that Jack realised there had been none of their sprawling when Daniel usually ended up pulled up against Jack, their legs entangled while he was either decrying the referee's eyesight or praising the performance of his team. 

The next morning Jack ambushed Daniel's plans by saying he wanted to take Daniel out for a drive. 

"I've been wanting to take you up to this place for a while now and when I knew you were staying with me for a few days I decided this would be the ideal time. You've been so busy I've not had the chance but come on Danny, you'll be going back home soon and we're due back in work in a couple more days. You'll love it I promise. Let me take you up there today, PLEASE?" 

Jack knew that Daniel wouldn't be able to refuse him; he was a sucker for a plea. And Jack using please like that, the man didn't have a prayer. 

"Oh, okay if you really want, Jack," Daniel began, "but I..." Whatever else Daniel had been going to say was cut off by the telephone. 

Jack flashed a rueful grin at Daniel and answered the telephone. He listened a moment before frowning and replying, "Yes sir, right away. Daniel is...I see. Yes, sir." He replaced the phone and turned to Daniel. 

"General Hammond?" 

"Yeah, there's a crisis I've gotta go in, now." 

" _You've_ gotta go, what about _me?_ Surely they've recalled us all?" 

"No, just me. It's a search and rescue," Jack said as he headed for his closet. 

"I'm coming with," Daniel said firmly. 

"You don't need to, I just..." 

"I know I'm coming."

* * *

They arrived at the mountain to a flurry of activity and made their way directly to the control room where they found General Hammond. The general greeted both men but was clearly agitated as he invited Jack to follow him to the briefing room. 

"Can I be of any assistance, General?" Daniel asked. 

"Not this time, son," he replied ushering Jack ahead of him. 

Daniel watched them go and then headed for his lab. He had plenty of work to keep himself busy. 

After working for an hour Daniel was in desperate need of coffee but there was none in his office and so he headed for the commissary for supplies. He was almost there when he spotted Janet Fraiser hurrying alone the corridor towards him. She was obviously distracted, as she didn't even see him until they almost collided, only his outstretched hands keeping them apart. 

"Janet, whoa there." 

"Oh, Daniel, sorry." 

"Was is it? It's not like you ..." his voice faded as he realised she obviously knew what was going on. 

"Janet what's happening? Jack got called back in for a search and rescue but that's all I know." 

"Oh, I thought ... It's SG4. Got themselves caught in the middle of a civil war. Colonel O'Neill has taken four other teams through to get them out. It's not going to be easy Daniel, he's leading sixteen against two marauding armies." 

Daniel's eyes widened. He'd be so damned wrapped up in his own personal problems he hadn't let himself think clearly. General Hammond had promised not to call them back in unless it was a dire emergency. What the hell had he been thinking? Clearly he hadn't. 

"There's more Janet, why else are you so agitated now." 

"The colonel's sent back two injured men already; that doesn't bode well." Janet hesitated remembering just whom she was talking to. "Of course, it's too early to judge anything," she quickly added. 

"Of course," Daniel replied quietly. "If you hear anything will you let me know?" 

"Sure. You look a bit pale Daniel, when did you last eat?" 

"Oh don't worry. I had breakfast with Jack this morning and he likes a good breakfast and won't let me leave the table till I've cleared my plate!" 

Janet grinned. "Glad someone can make you eat. But that was hours ago, go eat again." 

"I was going for coffee..." 

"I said _eat_ Daniel. Coffee is *not* food no matter what you tell yourself." 

"Yes ma'am," he replied sarcastically. 

Luckily and unknown to Janet, Daniel survived for the next eighteen hours on coffee. He couldn't face food, nor could he sleep. He either paced the control room or his office having long given up the pretence at work, being unable to concentrate. He'd heard the comments and the look on the general's face was enough to confirm just how much danger Jack and the others were in. He understood all too clearly why he'd been kept out of it. This mission needed a swift response action by expert military personnel. He'd only have slowed them down. 

He was in the control room when the message came in. 

"Incoming traveller. Incoming traveller," Davies announced. 

General Hammond came running as Daniel watched with bated breath from the sidelines. The general raised an eyebrow at the technician. 

"It's SG8 sir." It was one of teams that Jack had led through. 

"Open the iris," the general ordered, his voice tense. 

Daniel moved to the stairs and ran down to wait in the Gateroom as the wormhole formed within the huge stone ring. Daniel had to move well out of the way as the SFs surrounded the ramp, their weapons raised. 

Men began to pour through the blue vortex; some clearly injured and being supported by others, who yelled for medics. Others came through walking backwards clearly covering those first through. Daniel was watching very closely, looking out for Jack but as yet there was no sign of him. Not that he was really surprised, Jack always saw everyone else through the gate before coming through himself. What Daniel didn't like was that on this mission, besides not being there with Jack himself, Jack's shadow wasn't protecting his back either. Daniel so wished that there'd been time to recall Teal'c. Daniel forced himself to stay at the back out of the way as more and more soldiers came through. He was trying to keep count but there were so many others in the way now that he wasn't sure if he was counting SFs or medics along with the returning SG teams. As yet there was no sign of Jack and he hadn't seen Ferretti either. As yet no one called for the iris to close so there must be more due through. Daniel saw two members of SG4 brought through clearly injured, but managing to walk. Where were the others? _Dear lord let Jack be all right. He doesn't even know how I feel. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He'll never know how I feel._

Suddenly someone ran through yelling "Medic, medic!" It was Ferretti. Daniel moved forward a little and forced himself to stop as he finally saw Jack helping another soldier carry a third. Jack was limping and had blood sheeting the left side of his uniform. Daniel stifled a gasp, reminding himself that at least Jack was walking. Whatever injury he'd sustained couldn't be too serious. 

Suddenly Jack's voice boomed out. "Close the iris, close the iris." Daniel felt as if the sound of his voice was like a balm to his nerves. He closed his eyes in relief before turning and walking out.

* * *

Jack was totally exhausted as he finally made it back through the gate. As he heard the iris slam behind him, he let go of his tension knowing others would look after the men who had been his responsibility for the last day. _God was that all it was one day; seemed like a lifetime. I was afraid I was going to die without ever having a chance to let Daniel know what he means to me._ Looking around for the man filling his thoughts he was taken aback to see Daniel leaving the Gateroom without bothering to come and see if he was all right. That just wasn't _Daniel_. Jack sighed, preparing to go after Daniel and have it out once and for all. If he'd done something wrong then at least he could apologise and try and put it right. But this, it was so damned frustrating. 

"Colonel O'Neill," called General Hammond, bringing Jack back to his responsibilities. 

"Yes sir," he replied crisply. "All present and accounted for sir, three seriously injured, two with minor injuries. All weapons accounted for, sir." That had been one of the biggest concerns, the natives had wanted the weapons that SG4 was carrying as they were much more advanced than their own and would have given one faction a big advantage over the other. 

"Well done, Colonel. Everyone report to the infirmary. Those fit and well report for debrief in one hour." 

"Yes, sir," Jack answered, realising this would delay his confrontation with Daniel. Probably Daniel would come down to the infirmary to check that he was okay. Obviously they couldn't talk there but he could make sure Daniel was aware that he wanted to talk. 

Three hours later Jack was totally stymied. Daniel hadn't come to see him in the infirmary though he did discover that he had inquired after his health. Jack himself hadn't been able to get out of the infirmary until it was time for the Debrief. The minor injury to his left leg required treatment and dressing, no matter how hard he tried to argue the point with the petite Napoleon clone, she insisted. After that he just had enough time to clean up and get changed. 

The Debrief took almost two hours and then Jack limped his way down to Daniel's office to find he was not there. He checked the commissary and every other place he could think of. No one had seen him. Frustrated, he checked the front gate and was perturbed to discover that Daniel had left well over an hour earlier. 

Jack changed into civilian clothes in record time and left the mountain for home. He wasn't sure why but he had the feeling that he needed to speak to Daniel and quickly. He arrived home but Daniel's car was not in the driveway. Jack rushed inside, a feeling of dread weighing heavy in his stomach. He ran up the stairs to the guest bedroom to find it empty. Not just empty of Daniel but empty of Daniel's things. Jack felt empty too. He simply didn't understand what was going on. 

Then he noticed the envelope on the bedside table with his name on it, in Daniel's writing. He picked it up and tore it open. There were just a few short lines. 

_** Jack_

_I've imposed enough and I'm sure after that mission you'd like your peace and quiet._

_The apartment's ready so I can go home. See you back at work._

_Daniel**_

The note was just so reminiscent of the way Daniel had been the last few days, polite but distant. It was unnerving and Jack was damned if he was going to leave it at that. He slammed out of his house, got back in his truck and drove to Daniel's apartment. When he arrived there it was somehow not a surprise to find the apartment was still sealed. 

According to the doorman the exterminators had only begun work that morning and it would be two or three days before Daniel's was ready. 

Daniel had disappeared and Jack had no idea where he'd gone.

* * *

Jack returned home feeling even more confused and a little angry. He felt a guilt he didn't understand and couldn't explain to himself. He knew it was unfair to blame Daniel for his own feelings, especially when Daniel had made every effort to insist there was no problem. Unfortunately as illogical as his guilt was, his anger was more illogical and no less real. Perhaps it was just as well he couldn't find Daniel right now. 

Wait, Daniel had to be contactable for the SGC. Either he had passed on his present address or his cell phone was active. He was almost home so he decided to check from there. He decided against checking with the base, it might raise too many questions. He dialled Daniel's cell number and after a few rings, Daniel answered. 

"Hello, Daniel and just where the hell are you?" 

"Hello, Jack. How are you? Are you home?" 

"Well if you were where you're supposed to be, you'd know the answer to that wouldn't you?" Jack heard the anger in his own voice and sighed. "Look Daniel," he continued obviously reining in his temper, "what's wrong? And don't tell me nothing. I saw you leave the Gateroom when we got back and you didn't come to the infirmary or wait until after the briefing. That's not like you. Then I get home and find you've gone. Why?" 

"Jack, I said in my note. You need some space to recover. " 

"That's not good enough. Daniel, I've been to the apartment. Why the lie?" Jack took a deep breath. "What am I supposed to have done?" 

"Done? Nothing." Daniel took a deep breath before continuing. "It's not you Jack, it's me. Please just leave it. I'll see you at work." 

"Daniel." 

"Please, Jack. Let it be." 

Jack opened his mouth to speak and then snapped it shut. If the damned man wouldn't tell him, he couldn't force him. Well he could but not over the phone. "For now, Daniel, for now." He hung up. 

Daniel held the phone to his ear for a full minute after Jack hung up. He should have known he would phone and truth be told he'd been glad to hear his voice. The phone call made him realise the hole he was digging for himself. He had to find a way to act normally around Jack again or the man would force the truth out of him. Jack was like a dog with a rag doll in his teeth, he wouldn't let go. Tenacious was a word invented for men like Jack O'Neill.

* * *

The next day around noon, Jack finally ran Daniel to ground in his office. Not that Daniel had been hiding, he'd been expecting Jack for hours and it'd been hard to keep working. Jack had been on tenterhooks all morning but the General had kept him in a budget meeting of all things. The idiots at the Pentagon wanted to know why there had been increase in ammunition usage during the last three months. Jack had been hard put to keep his temper, which hadn't been helped by the General's unusual mood. He seemed to find it amusing that most of the ammunition was requisitioned by SG1 and made Jack go over his mission reports to confirm the usage. He found it particularly amusing apparently that only half of SG1 used more ammunition than any other two SG teams put together. 

When he finally escaped the general's clutches, Jack made straight for Daniel's office and he entered without even knocking. 

"Hi Jack," Daniel said without looking up from his scribbling. The fact that his hand was shaking was hidden behind a pile of books. 

"Daniel." Suddenly Jack didn't know how to start. There was nothing that Daniel had done that was technically wrong. He'd even left a note; true it contained a lie. 

"Why the lie, Daniel?" 

Daniel looked up at that. "I didn't lie, Jack," he replied, at which Jack raised an eyebrow. "There was some confusion. I rang the apartment block and was told the exterminators had almost finished and tenants were moving back in that evening." That at least was true. "When I got there I discovered the mistake. Some tenants were moving back in, not all and certainly not me. I have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest." Daniel had in fact discovered this over the telephone and had never actually gone to the apartment block but he saw no reason to tell Jack that. 

"And?" 

"I went to a hotel." 

"I see. It didn't occur to you to come back home." 

_Home_. It was true that he did think of Jack's house as more of a home than his own apartment but that wasn't what Jack meant. 

"You had enough on your plate, without me hanging around." 

"Daniel, we've been through this. I invited you, if I didn't want you there I wouldn't have." 

"When you invited me you weren't injured." 

"What difference does that make? You've nursed me before now. And let's just say if all I wanted was peace and quiet for a while, I would stay on base. I'd have told you. We've never had trouble communicating before, why now?" 

"I'm sorry if I misread things. There's nothing wrong really," Daniel insisted. Jack frowned and Daniel knew he didn't believe him. He had to do something to tidy up this mess. "Jack, its Friday tomorrow, am I still invited? I can bug you about the hockey game." 

Jack hesitated a moment, sidetracked. "Huh? Course yeah come over. Just don't bring me any of that imported crap." 

"I'll just bring enough for me. If you order pizza don't forget I don't want anchovies. Look, I really must get on with this, SG10 need this translation in a hurry." 

"Right, fine. See ya later." Jack felt as if he'd missed something, or maybe he just got something back.

* * *

Things seemed to settle back into a normal routine at the mountain. Daniel appeared more like his old self. Jack dropped by his office just to get a rise out of him and Daniel responded in his usual cutting way. They ate lunch most days at the commissary either alone or with Sam and Teal'c. There had been no comments from their team-mates when they returned to duty and Jack began to think more and more that he had over-reacted to what he'd perceived as a problem with Daniel. Even their Friday night get-together was back on track. Last evening had been their second Friday pizza beer and hockey night and they'd had a great time. Daniel stayed over in the guest room just like many previous Friday nights and complained in the morning that Jack had slipped with the coffee. Jack grinned and reminded Daniel that he didn't get quite as much practice now. 

Daniel had been a little quiet on the way into work but he'd said he'd had too much to drink the night before. Jack snorted at that, Daniel could drink him under the table with wine but with beer he was still a cheap date. 

Jack was called into a meeting with the general as soon as they reached the SGC and Daniel went down to his office. 

As soon as the door was closed Daniel slumped against it, banging his head back against the door, his eyes tightly closed. He pushed off from the door and moved to his desk where he sat down with a sigh as he dropped the façade he wore around Jack and the others. It was hard but he didn't know what else he could do. He'd thought hard and long and the only alternative was to leave the SGC. He'd thought about transferring off SG1 so as not to be so close to Jack but the idea of being near but no longer being close to the man he loved was worse. It was either suck it up or make a clean break and leave. He'd looked at the problem from every angle and it always came back to the same thing, he'd rather stay near Jack and just be his best friend than to never see him again. It just wasn't always easy to sustain the relaxed smokescreen. It was particularly difficult this morning because the night before had been so good. Jack had even joked about why he bothered with the guest room when they'd shared a tent for years. Daniel had so wanted to take him up on the jest only for him it wouldn't have been a joke. 

That thought brought to mind that they were due to ship out on another mission next day and it always worried him that he might slip up when they were so close in that tent. Then he reminded himself he'd managed perfectly well knowing he was in love with Jack before and he could do so again. 

There was a rap at his door and he absently called, "Come in." 

Nyan stuck his head around the door and graced Daniel with his shy smile. "Morning Daniel, any luck with the translation of that tile from PX4 256?" 

Daniel was suddenly grateful for the distraction of work and for Nyan's persistent enthusiasm.

* * *

Travelling through the wormhole should have been something he was used to after all this time but it was still a thrill and more often than not a stumble. This time was no different as Daniel came careering through and only avoided a fall because Teal'c threw an arm out to slow his forward momentum, stopping him from falling down the steps to the base of the Stargate platform. 

"Um, thanks Teal'c," he said distractedly, his eyes already glued to the dais diametrically opposite the gate, across an open area of overgrown grass. On the dais a large oval shape was set, leaning slightly backward. Daniel approached carefully, fascinated but aware of the possibility of danger. 

Jack, however, decided to remind him anyway. "Careful Daniel, you don't know what that thing is." 

"I know, Jack, that's why I'm here," Daniel replied patiently. 

"It's part of the reason we're here Daniel, there's also the - in your words - imposing structure on the hill over thataway. And we mustn't forget Carter's little dirt collection." 

"Soil samples, sir," Carter interposed acidly. 

"Whatever, soil, dirt it's all mud to me." Jack turned in a slow circle taking in the waving grasses around the gate that dropped off to the edge of forest of trees. They bore a remarkable resemblance to pine trees, except they were more blue than green. "Trees, always trees, think I'd be used to it by now," he said under his breath. 

Teal'c had finished his perimeter search. "All is clear, O'Neill." 

"Thanks, T. You accompany Carter and I'll keep my eye on Daniel." 

"Gee thanks." 

"Yes, sir. The best site was about thirty minutes in that direction," she reported pointing west from the gate. "We should be back in two hours." 

"Right, report progress in one hour." 

"Yes, sir. Teal'c?" 

Teal'c bowed slightly at the major and followed her out towards the ubiquitous trees. 

"This is fascinating, Jack. I was right about it being some kind of Goa'uld dialect but one I've never seen before, though some of the glyphs are hard to make out. I might have to get Teal'c to give me a hand with this later." 

Jack was watching Daniel with an amused air but at the mention of Goa'uld he straightened his posture. "It was pretty obvious from the MALP that this place is deserted," Jack said, knowing the answer but wanting it confirmed anyway. 

"Yeah, the structure up there has virtually no roof and this plaque is extremely worn. No, I'm pretty sure there's been no presence here for centuries." 

Jack relaxed a little and went back to his pastime of Daniel watching. At the same time, he was wondering if he ought to bring up the subject of the proposed trip to Chicago which was due in a couple of weeks. Daniel had never mentioned it since Christmas and he was a little put out by that. Things seemed normal again and he was a little nervous bringing up the subject of Christmas and yet he needed to know if Daniel still wanted to meet his family. Watching Daniel now though, happily in his element, Jack couldn't face spoiling things. He decided to wait until the mission was over. They were only supposed to be there for a maximum of forty-eight hours. He'd thought it might be a good idea to broach the subject while on a mission as Daniel always seemed more relaxed when he was playing in the dirt but suddenly Jack didn't want to risk taking the joy away from the passionate man tracing squiggles on an old stone slab. 

He was pulled from his reverie by his radio. It was just Sam reporting in but he was disconcerted to realise an hour had gone by. 

"Daniel, do you want a quick look at the structure? Carter and Teal'c will be another hour and by the time they get back we'll have to set up camp for the night. Just time for a quick look now; or it'll have to wait for the morning." 

"Um, well this is fascinating," he glanced up at the hill behind and then back at the huge plaque. "Okay, Jack I'll take a quick look around there and then I can judge which should have priority in the morning." 

"Yeahsureyoubetcha." 

Daniel followed as Jack began the long haul up the steep incline. Daniel was talking rapidly, hardly taking time for a breath as he slogged up behind him but Jack tuned out the actual words and just enjoyed listening to the excitement in the young man's voice. He took in enough to gather that Daniel had managed to decipher a few glyphs and he thought the god who had ruled here had been tossed out on his ear. Daniel's excitement cooled a little as he then questioned his own theory by wondering if that was the case, then where were those who had ousted the snake? Jack didn't bother to answer, knowing very well that Daniel was really only thinking out loud by using him as a sounding board for his thoughts. 

They finally reached the top of the hill and from there the structure seemed much larger and even more dilapidated. 

Daniel was quiet as he strode purposefully towards the nearest wall, a section of which was missing and he made to enter, Jack on his heels. 

"Slow down Daniel; let me scope the place first." 

Reluctantly Daniel slowed down, knowing the precaution was practical if probably not really necessary. Daniel waited till Jack was just ahead of him then followed closely. Jack held his weapon up and carefully sighted along the barrel as he edged forward into the opening. As he breached the opening the invisible shield that surrounded the structure burst into life and both Jack and Daniel were caught in the flash and immediately dropped like stones.

* * *

Sam was particularly pleased with the results of her soil survey. She had filled every sample jar and her readings boded well for the retrieval of naquada from this planet. The results were so promising she decided they may as well head back a little early and get started on setting up camp. They'd have plenty of time tomorrow to collect corroborative samples and she expected Daniel would be full to bursting wanting to discuss his findings though Colonel O'Neill was rarely receptive to Daniel's passionate ramblings. It wasn't that the colonel didn't let Daniel speak, or even that he didn't show interest but anyone with a pair of eyes - except Daniel who seemed to keep his closed where the colonel was concerned - could tell that the colonel was only humouring the archaeologist. At least she could listen and ask pertinent questions and Teal'c could discuss the Goa'uld inscriptions with him. It had been quite a while since Daniel had been able to indulge his archaeological or even linguistic skills. 

Far too many times recently Daniel had been required to be more of a soldier than a scientist. 

Sam wondered if that was the reason for his insular behaviour since Christmas. Teal'c had also noticed the change in Daniel's demeanour and commented on it to her. She suspected that even the colonel had noticed it, though he hadn't said anything to her. She noticed that Colonel O'Neill had been a bit more relaxed around Daniel recently and that their squabbles were more good-natured in the way they used to be. She hadn't understood why they'd been noticeably acerbic with each other over the last few months. 

This mission was exactly what Daniel needed to settle back into himself, he'd seemed somewhat lost for a while. 

"MajorCarter," Teal'c suddenly said quietly, dropping to his knees. 

She followed suit puzzled but trusting him completely, raised an eyebrow in query. 

Teal'c merely raised one hand and pointed through the trees in the direction they were headed. Between them and the colonel and Daniel was a patrol of about twenty Jaffa. _Where the hell did they come from?_ Sam wondered glancing at Teal'c in confusion but he kept a close eye on the Jaffa. When he was sure they were not heading in their direction, Teal'c carefully led Sam around them in a direction, which took them both nearer the Stargate and to the colonel and Daniel. 

As they approached the Gate they were not surprised to find more Jaffa on guard. Sam looked around half expecting to see the colonel and Daniel at best held under guard, or worse, lying injured or dead. Instead there was no sign of them. She indicated as much to Teal'c who nodded up the incline towards the structure. Of course, she realised, Daniel would have wanted to investigate that place and Jack would have accompanied him. 

Teal'c began to move out towards the hill topped by the structure. This wouldn't be as easy because the only cover available now was the long waving grass, the trees being left behind at the foot of slope. They would also be at a disadvantage if there were more Jaffa at the top because if they happened to look down the odds of Sam and Teal'c being exposed to their view was pretty high.

* * *

Jack thought he heard the sound of the sea breaking in the distance, yet he knew that couldn't be. He'd been climbing a hill...somewhere. Why had he been climbing a hill? There wasn't a sea anywhere near them. Them. He hadn't been alone Daniel had been with him. Daniel, where was Daniel? 

"Daniel," he called, only his voice was just a hoarse gasp. 

It was only then he realised he was unable to open his eyes. He couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. It was as if they were glued together. Okay if he couldn't open his eyes he would have to use his other senses. He still couldn't hear anything but the sound of waves crashing, so he dismissed that as some kind of sensory overload. So he reached out with his hand and carefully felt around him but he couldn't feel anything. So he moved forward a little and tried again and this time he touched something. Reaching out again he realised it was a foot, Daniel's foot. Tracing the length of Daniel's leg, Jack continued along his hip until he finally reached an arm and relief flooded through him as he felt the strong steady thrum of a pulse under his fingers. 

"Daniel, Danny wake up," he managed to croak out. 

"Umm," a voice murmured and Jack belatedly realised that his hearing was improving. 

"Daniel." 

This time he was greeted with silence. He grabbed hold of Daniel's arm again and moved his hand up till he had hold of Daniel's shoulder and he pulled the younger man up to lean against him. He quickly ran his hands over Daniel's head, breathing a sigh of relief on finding no obvious injury before he moved on to feel the rest of his body. He assumed that whatever hit them had rendered them unconscious without any other physical effect. Knowing he would feel much better if he could only see what was going on he tried again to open his eyes and he was gratified that this time he managed it. 

He almost wished he hadn't. 

Daniel was lying unconscious in his arms and Jack was half-lying on the floor of a cell. A large cell with gold walls covered in glyphs. A large grill through which Jack could see two Jaffa on guard bisected the opposite wall. How the hell had they been captured by Jaffa and on a supposedly deserted planet? He couldn't help the quick glance he gave the man in his arms; Daniel had done it again, this time without even touching anything. He gave a rueful grin and held the younger man even tighter to him. He had an overwhelming urge to kiss the brow that rested against his shoulder and only the sudden fluttering of the other man's eyes brought him back to the here and now. 

Daniel stiffened and then struggled, probably panicking at being held. 

"Daniel, it's all right I'm here. You'll feel strange at first, might not be able to open your eyes or hear properly but that'll soon pass." 

"Jack," Daniel croaked. 

"Yeah. We've done it again," Jack said wryly. 

"Can't open my eyes," Daniel said hoarsely and panicked. 

"I know, just give it a little time. I can see fine now." 

"What can you see?" 

"Sure you wanna to know?" 

"That bad huh?" 

Jack laughed sourly. "Large cell, gold walls, glyphs everywhere, oh and two hefty guards." 

"Ah. Seen any emblem?" 

"Not yet, got their backs to me." 

"Think I can...yeah can see. Like old times eh?" 

"Yeah Danny," Jack breathed, "like old times." He straightened his back and trying for a lighter mood he said, "Yeah just like old times, we came, we saw, we got caught." 

"At least you can't blame me this time, I didn't touch anything," grinned Daniel. 

"So they beat you to it." 

"Thanks, Jack." 

Daniel was relieved that Jack was with him but at the same time he wished that he wasn't. Jack had the very bad habit of baiting the snakes, though he knew Jack could and did, say the same thing about him. Jack had said once that Daniel was a pacifist except when it came to the Goa'uld and in all conscience Daniel couldn't argue with that. But there was a difference. Jack did it as a calculated plan of action to keep the attention of the snake on him and not on the other members of his team. Specifically Daniel, whom Jack considered it was his particular duty to protect. Daniel knew that in his own case it was a simple matter of emotions; he hated the Goa'uld with a passion he'd never expected to feel. Growing up in a world where he found little love he'd never appreciated the depth of his own emotions until he had met and fallen in love with Sha're. That had been a revelation to him. He'd only ever felt that depth of emotion twice since. Hatred for the snakes and an abiding love for the man whose arms still encircled him. 

Almost as if Jack read his mind he quickly released Daniel and rose unsteadily to his feet. Daniel felt the loss like a blow. Jack shook out his arms and then his legs one at a time to loosen his muscles and to get the circulation moving again. He moved towards the grill and tried to see what was beyond the cell. 

As Jack gripped the metal of the grill one of the Jaffa guards turned and glared at him threateningly. 

Jack grinned back at him and said, "Hi and who do you work for?" 

The guard struck his staff weapon again the grill just to the side of Jack's hand and he reflexively pulled his hand back. 

"Short fuse eh?" 

"Jack," Daniel called urgently. 

Jack walked back to him and sat down again. "You recognised it?" 

"Yeah, I think it's the emblem for Khepri."

* * *

Sam and Teal'c found an excellent hiding place just under the lip of the hill where there was a natural dip in the terrain into which they'd rolled and were hidden from above, yet near enough to hear the conversation of the Jaffa who patrolled along the rim just above them. Sam, of course, had no idea what they were saying. She'd picked up the odd word over the last few years but nowhere near enough to follow a conversation. When the patrol moved to the far side of the structure Teal'c explained to MajorCarter what he'd overheard. 

"We were grossly misled by the MALP readings MajorCarter. There is a base underground, the entrance to which is through the structure. Whichever Goa'uld rules has been here for a very long time, maybe millennia. I am unsure but he could be taking refuge. There is a force field surrounding the structure and O'Neill and DanielJackson were rendered unconscious when they attempted to enter. They have been taken inside to be questioned." 

"Questioned!" Sam said derogatively. She had experienced the Goa'uld version of questioning before; it was a painful experience that she had no wish to repeat. "You didn't recognise the helmet design or the symbol on the forehead?" 

"No, I did not. I am not certain as to what it is meant to represent." 

"I thought it looked like a fat spider. Is there a Goa'uld represented by a spider?" 

"I do not think so." 

"That can wait for now anyhow. The important thing is get them out of there and we can't even go back through the Gate for help, they've got the damned thing surrounded." 

"We need more intelligence before we take any action. Be silent, the patrol returns." 

They waited again while the guard passed by overhead, quiet for a few minutes until one of them spoke. One of his companions laughed, said something else then two of them must have moved away as their voices faded. Sam almost breathed out a sigh of relief but Teal'c placed a hand over her mouth and her eyes widened as she realised there was still one Jaffa above them. Teal'c took his hand away but signalled her to be quiet and then he slipped out of their hiding place and disappeared. 

Sam felt a moment's frustration at being left behind with no idea what he had in mind. She was in nominal command with the colonel missing but the frustration died as she acknowledged the fact that Teal'c had been a warrior longer than she'd even been alive and she trusted him with her life. She lay quiet and waited. She strained to hear what might be taking place but heard nothing. 

After what seemed an age but couldn't really have been more than five minutes, Teal'c returned and slipped back inside the dip in the hill. She was surprised to see he was dragging a Jaffa along with him. It was a very tight squeeze in the makeshift hiding place but she knew Teal'c wouldn't have brought the Jaffa with him without good cause, especially as the man would be missed. She raised a questioning eyebrow and he answered by beginning to remove the man's Jaffa uniform. She immediately understood and helped him. 

In a few minutes Teal'c was wearing the uniform and without hesitation other than to check first that there was no-one in hearing range, Teal'c used the guard's own zat to shoot him three times. He couldn't afford to leave evidence. 

Sam felt a twinge of guilt, which she quickly quashed by thinking about what might be happening to her team-mates at the hands of the other Jaffa.

* * *

Before Jack could ask Daniel who this Khepri was, a familiar sound filled the cell. Jack raised an eyebrow at Daniel as they both recognised the clanking of the Jaffa armoured boots. 

"Company's coming," said Jack as if he'd been expecting friends. He'd been expecting them but they certainly weren't gonna be friendly. "You up for this?" he asked Daniel softly. 

"No more than usual," replied Daniel but his eyes belied the casual tone. 

The grill was flung open and four Jaffa entered, spreading out in a semi-circle in front of Jack and Daniel, as a fifth Jaffa entered. This was the First Prime, a giant of a man who would have dwarfed even Teal'c. On his forehead was the gold emblem of his god and Daniel unconsciously identified it as the scarab beetle of Khepri, idly wondering what Jack would think if he knew he would soon be confronting yet another sun god. 

Daniel was yanked from his reverie literally and figuratively as the First Prime's hand suddenly shot out and taking a fist full of his jacket dragged Daniel to slam into his own body. 

"You are nothing but you dare to defile the precincts of your God." 

"Your god, not mine," Daniel gasped out, glancing at Jack out of the corner of his eye. He recognised that the colonel had a tight grip on himself and for that Daniel was grateful for both their sakes. The next few minutes were not going to be pleasant and it wouldn't do them any good to precipitate events. 

Daniel decided he had been hasty in his conclusions as the First Prime threw him bodily at the wall behind and he slammed into it with some force. Unless they kept quiet, events would need little encouragement and he was honest enough to admit that neither were particularly good at keeping their mouths shut. 

The First Prime was speaking again and this time he ventured into Jack's personal space as he yelled, "You will do obeisance to your god." 

"I don't think so," Jack replied firmly not feeling the need to yell like the First Prime. 

The reaction to the quiet statement was immediate and painful as the Jaffa paired off and laid into the two prisoners. Jack did his best to fight back but he was not exactly in tip-top condition and the armour that the guards were wearing gave them an unfair advantage anyway. Daniel too used the hand-to-hand combat techniques taught to him by both Jack and Teal'c but he was outmatched. All too soon both men were on the ground having been thoroughly beaten. The First Prime came forward and as if they were too lowly for him to soil his hands with he simply pulled back his leg and gave each of them of resounding kick in the ribs. Daniel tried to roll himself around the pain and casually wondered if he had a couple of broken ribs. 

Before he had time to investigate this both he and Jack were hauled to their feet and dragged out of the cell.

* * *

Teal'c followed the patrol back towards the structure and watched as a Jaffa on guard outside a broken span of wall pressed a switch on a small device and the telltale sound of a force-field filled the air. Now Teal'c understood how O'Neill and DanielJackson had come to be captured. Anyone attempting to cross the invisible barrier would be caught in its specific charge and knocked out instantly. He and the other Jaffa of the patrol entered and he heard the force field being reconstituted. 

Teal'c needed to get away from the other Jaffa, for once they lowered their helmets he would be discovered. He was shol'va and even if these Jaffa did not recognise him as such, they definitely would not recognise him as one of their own. 

They crossed the large empty room and Teal'c recognised the rings set into the floor. One of his companions pressed the device to operate them and instantaneously they materialised in an even larger room, presumably in the underground complex. Teal'c was relieved as the men split up and he slipped away down a side passage before the others removed their helmets. It would be suicide if he were discovered without his helmet; his gold emblem could not be explained away. He must avoid discovery and find O'Neill and DanielJackson and hopefully devise a plan of escape. 

As he heard voices and the heavy clank of armour, he hid behind one of the many decorative grills along the wall. His anger rose as he watched a group of Jaffa pass by led by the First Prime and they were dragging the battered bodies of O'Neill and DanielJackson. Teal'c understood only too well that the men had been - in O'Neill's terms - softened up for their god. He also knew that worse was to come. Whoever this Goa'uld was he would at least want information and if O'Neill and DanielJackson were recognised then it could be even worse for his two friends. He followed keeping a safe distance. It would do them no good if he too were captured.

* * *

Sam was feeling extremely nervous. She didn't like being stuck out here, alone, when there was god knows what going on in there. She was worried sick about Daniel and the colonel. Neither of them was exactly on their best behaviour when it came to confronting the damned snakes. Daniel, the eternal peacemaker, could cheerfully wipe out the Goa'uld, and she had personal knowledge of Daniel's ability to point and shoot. As for the colonel, he could start a universal war, literally, just by being his usual snarky irreverent self. She and Teal'c just had to get them out of there. 

She felt so guilty just lying in this safe haven; she wanted to do something yet she knew that she couldn't risk being captured. If only she could go the Gate and get help but there had been a half-dozen Jaffa guarding it when they'd by-passed it earlier. All she could do was watch and listen. God, even that was useless, she knew about six Goa'uld words and most of those were variations of kree! At least she could be ready if and when Teal'c attempted rescue, or when he returned to devise a plan with her. Being ready was doing something, wasn't it?

* * *

Teal'c carefully trailed along behind the group of Jaffa guarding his team-mates. He noticed that though neither of them spoke, O'Neill and DanielJackson kept exchanging glances and knowing his friends, they said more with their eyes than most people said with words. Eventually they reached an even more ornate section of the complex, obviously where the Goa'uld was to be found. There was one guard in full uniform; including his helmet, guarding the pair of huge double doors at the end of the corridor and he opened the doors wide at the approach of the First Prime. Teal'c hung back hidden as the others entered. 

The First Prime ordered O'Neill and DanielJackson to their knees and as Teal'c could have predicted, they both steadfastly refused. Teal'c heard the First Prime bark out an order and suddenly both men were rapped smartly on the backs of their legs and hands on their shoulders forced them to their knees. During this incident the guard on the door made the mistake of twisting around to watch, allowing Teal'c to slip behind him. While everyone's attention was occupied he silently grabbed the man with one hand on either side of his neck and twisted so swiftly, that he snapped the man's neck before he could utter a sound. Teal'c pulled the man behind the ubiquitous decorative grills where he discovered a narrow doorway. He cautiously opened it to find a storage area; a perfect hiding place for a body. He couldn't have used his zat as the sound would echo down the long narrow corridors. 

Teal'c returned to the door taking the place of the guard, standing slightly sideways so he could see as well as hear the proceedings in the throne room. 

Suddenly the distinctive voice of a Goa'uld snapped out, demanding silence. For the first time Teal'c noticed the two figures standing at the far end of the huge throne room, one of them coming a little further into the room. The man was dressed in a flowing robe of blue, edged with gold over a short pleated kilt in gold. He stalked towards the throne, closely followed by another man also wearing a kilt but his was longer and was white edged with gold. The man was carrying a sheaf of papers in one hand and a long stylus in the other; he was a scribe. 

The Goa'uld seated himself on the throne, a large ebony chair set on a stone plinth. Above the chair set in the ceiling was a large gold ring from which swathes of material in alternating blue, gold and white were stretched to form a canopy around the chair. The back of the chair was very tall and narrow before widening out to form a large circle in which was set a design. The original of what MajorCarter had called the fat spider. There was no doubting now what it was meant to represent and recognising the scarab, Teal'c was somewhat surprised to discover which Goa'uld this must be.

* * *

Daniel stared at the depiction of the scarab beetle over the head of the gaudy man seated on his ebony throne. Any doubt he might have entertained about the identity of this snake was laid to rest. 

"Khepri, Jack," he said quietly. 

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?" Jack whispered back. 

"Well, no but perhaps it should." 

"Ya not gonna go into lecture mode now, Daniel?" 

"Seeing as how he's busy, gotta pass the time somehow. Not sure you'll appreciate this though." 

"Never appreciate your lectures," Jack responded snidely. 

Daniel grimaced and continued. "Khepri was the god of the rising sun." He waited for a reaction and it wasn't long in coming. 

"Fer crying out loud! Ya gotta be kidding me!" 

Daniel grinned. "No, 'fraid not. See that symbol over his head. That's the scarab beetle; he was supposed to push the sun and moon across the sky in much the same way the dung beetle pushed around the ball of dung in which it lay its eggs." 

"Now I know you're yanking my chain," Jack declared, not for a minute disbelieving Daniel. 

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," Daniel said with relish. 

Jack winced but ignored the jibe. "Crap, as if one wasn't enough. Oh well, kill one, kill all." 

They were interrupted when the First Prime yelled "Kree!" It was only then they realised the scribe had left whilst they had been whispering to each other. 

The Goa'uld rose from his seat and paced around them. Daniel kept his eyes forward but he knew that Jack in his usual inimitable style would keep eye contact as much as possible. Finally Khepri stopped in front of them but spoke to his First Prime. 

"Coram, who are these strangers? Where did they come from?" 

"My Lord, it is uncertain. They refuse to speak. We have found no sign of a ship and I think it likely they used the Chappa'ai." 

"You will not answer your god's questions?" The Goa'uld asked turning his attention to them. 

"Ya ain't no god of mine." 

"I am Khepri, god of the rising sun, he who comes into existence!" 

"No, you are a man imprisoned by a snake pretending to be god, or as a friend of mine likes to say, false god," Daniel responded, rising to his feet. 

"Blasphemer! How dare you speak so to my Lord." 

"He may be your lord, but I know what he really is," Daniel said firmly. 

"Yeah, seen his kind before," Jack rose to his feet stiffly and moved shoulder to shoulder with Daniel. Jack needed to draw attention away from Daniel; he didn't understand why the young man was being so specifically abrasive. "He's nothing special to us. Don't expect any worship from me; I've got nothin' but contempt for his kind." 

Coram suddenly backhanded Jack across the face and he staggered into Daniel, only keeping his footing because Daniel grabbed and steadied him. 

"Though exactly why he is hiding out here is a mystery. And you are hiding out aren't you? That's why there's no sign of any habitation on the surface," Daniel said thoughtfully. "The other System Lords don't know you're here do they?" he went on relentlessly. "Just what did you do to have to hide for - how long? - Centuries?" 

"SILENCE!" roared the Goa'uld. 

Coram snapped his fingers and the Jaffa guards slammed them both to their knees again. 

Listening intently, Teal'c was not surprised that DanielJackson did not get a reply to his probing questions. So this was Khepri, he'd thought it only a legend but as he'd learned since knowing DanielJackson there was a lot of truth in legends. 

He remembered as a young boy his father used to tell him exciting stories, some true and some just stories according to his father. The story of the rebellion of Anubis and Khepri was probably a legend he'd said but sometimes the truth could be even stranger. Teal'c couldn't remember the whole story, it'd been many years since he'd last heard it but he did recall that in ancient times Anubis, with the help of Khepri in return for the promise of more power, had attempted to usurp the rule of the System Lords and take over total control himself. Anubis had almost succeeded and, afraid of a recurrence of such an act of betrayal, the System Lords had banished Anubis and Khepri, supposedly to the underworld. Teal'c did remember asking his father why they had not simply been killed and his father had smiled and asked how did one kill a god? 

There had been no mention of either Anubis or Khepri since and in fact the name of Anubis had become synonymous with death and destruction and even the mention of his name had become a curse. 

And apparently Khepri had been hiding out here ever since. 

Daniel was still talking and the Goa'uld was getting angrier by the moment. 

"...We really have no reason to be afraid of you and your kind. I don't know how long you've been hiding down here but a lot has changed in that time. We of the Tau'ri have been fighting back and we've made some major inroads." 

"Major inroads all right," interrupted Jack. "Let's see now, how many snakes is it that I've killed? First off there was Ra." 

"Now Jack, don't take all the kudos, we killed Ra." 

"Okay, fine. We killed Ra. A good friend of ours took out Seth." 

"We killed Apophis but he wouldn't stay dead." 

"No, that slimy two-faced lily-livered bastard just won't .." 

"STOP! Cease with your lies. Gods cannot die." 

"Ooh believing your own spiel now, that's gotta be a mistake. And I ain't lyin'. I also killed Hathor and if ever a bitch deserved killing, she did." 

"We killed Apophis again; pretty sure he's dead this time." Daniel glanced at Jack, "Aren't we?" He shrugged, "and this time he took Sokar with him. That's all so far but we're keeping score 'cause there's sure to be more to come." 

Khepri roared out his frustration. "Coram, kree!" 

By unspoken command the Jaffa moved in and began laying into Daniel and Jack until they were both on the floor curled up tight trying to protect their bodies from the onslaught. 

Teal'c took the opportunity of this diversion to slip into the room. He had noted the two guards standing to attention at the rear of the room who had their helmets in place and he could hide in plain view and look out for any opportunities. Though in truth he didn't yet see any possibility of escape. Excluding himself and the snake, there were seven Jaffa in this room alone, fully armed and there were many more in the complex itself. 

"Kree!" yelled Coram and the Jaffa moved back after hauling Jack and Daniel to their knees, where they both rocked unsteadily. 

"You will not speak unless it is to answer a question, do you understand?" Khepri asked haughtily. 

"Well," Daniel drawled, though the pain was clear in his voice, "being a linguist I understand perfectly but that doesn't mean I'm going to comply." 

"No," Jack added, "and I'm not as smart as he is and I do know about obeying orders but you see, I've never done what a snake asked me, at least not willingly, and I have been asked by the best." 

"You have not been asked by me," Coram said menacingly. 

"Think it's a bit late for threats since you've already beaten the crap out of us." 

"That was not a threat but a statement of fact. You will answer my questions of that I can assure you. I know not what methods you claim to have withstood before but it matters not. You will not withstand me." 

For once Jack was silent. Coram's calm deliberate speech made his words more chilling. 

In the space between one breath and the next Daniel realised what he must do. If he didn't act then Jack would, doing what he thought was necessary to protect him and Daniel had to stop him. He had to act first. Daniel had been protected by Jack for the last three years and now it was time to return the favour with interest. Jack had a life to go back to and Daniel was going to make sure he returned to enjoy it. If the only way to accomplish that was for Daniel to set himself up as a target then that's what he would do. 

He just prayed that Jack would forgive him, eventually. He would be furious but he would be alive and he would have a future with the person he loved. Jack deserved a future; he'd suffered so much that surely in the grand scheme the scales should be balanced in his favour, Daniel would just tip the scales. 

Daniel moved forward slightly in front of Jack. "There is no need for threats. I am prepared to answer any questions you might have..." 

"Daniel?" Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

Daniel ignored Jack's interruption and continued, "...on the condition that you release my friend here and send him back through the Chappa'ai." 

"DANIEL, No!" Jack yelled reaching out for him. _What the hell had put this idea into his head?_ One of the Jaffa grabbed him and pulled him back. 

"I'll give you a taste," Daniel said as if Jack hadn't spoken. "Because we've killed some of the System Lords there is a great destabilisation taking place all across the galaxy, there is in-fighting for position." Daniel turned to Coram, standing just to the side of Khepri and smiled mirthlessly. "Did you know that there is a Jaffa rebellion taking place out there?" 

"Daniel, what the hell are you doing?" Jack wanted to get closer to Daniel to look directly into his eyes, the man lived in his eyes but ever since his outburst he'd been held in place by two Jaffa. "Daniel, I don't understand, you've gone through hell fighting these bastards. What is this?" 

Daniel closed his eyes and tried to shut out the voice, if he allowed himself to listen to that beloved voice he would never be able to go through with this. He carried on regardless. "They know you see, Coram, that those like him are not gods, they are an abomination and the Jaffa are fighting to become free." 

"DANIEL, please." He had to find a way to stop him, get through to that stubborn fool before it was too late. 

"You are the abomination and my Lord will not deal with such as you." Coram too spoke as if Jack were not even present. 

"I think he will. There is much he does not know," Daniel said. 

"I have no need to accede to your demands. You or he will tell me," Khepri intoned. 

Daniel actually laughed, the incongruity of it sending chills down Jack's back as he listened in growing horror. "No, I think not. We've faced many System Lords, killed some of them, been tortured by the best of them, yet we're still here. He," indicating Jack with a flick of the wrist as he still could not meet his eyes, "is a trained professional soldier and he'll never talk. I told you, I will." 

Again Jack interrupted, his confusion turning to anger. "For god's sake, Daniel, what the hell are you doing? You can't do this." 

"Yes I can, I've had enough; I can't take it any more." To Khepri he said, "Send him home and then I'll talk." 

Frustrated, Jack was struggling against the guards holding him and screaming in anger at Daniel. "NO Daniel, you can't. Don't you bloody DARE, you BASTARD." 

Khepri suddenly snapped his fingers at Coram who nodded at one of the guards holding Jack. The Jaffa clamped a large hand across Jack's mouth and a thick arm around his neck, immobilising and silencing him at the same time. 

"I see no need to drag this out any longer. I agree to release that one and you will stay and tell me all I need to know. Understand the price you will pay if you fail me." 

Before Daniel could prepare, the Goa'uld's hand was raised and the familiar pain of the ribbon device sliced into Daniel's skull and his legs felt like liquid sliding from under him and he crashed to the floor. Jack struggled against his captor only to feel the arms tighten until he saw spots before his eyes as he now struggled to breathe. Daniel had suffered too many times under the power of the ribbon device and Jack panicked wondering if he could survive yet another dose. Thankfully, Khepri did not keep the device active for too long and Daniel was left gasping for breath and holding his aching head. 

"Take him out," Coram indicated at Jack, still struggling helplessly in the Jaffa's grip. 

"I must see him leave safely, heading back to the Gate," Daniel gasped. 

Coram hesitated and looked to Khepri who nodded to the guard stationed at the rear of the room near the doors and Teal'c was swift to obey the command together with another of the Jaffa. As they approached, the guard holding Jack released him and Teal'c and the other Jaffa grabbed him firmly and between them they began dragging him out of the throne room. 

"Daniel, don't do this. You can't," Jack yelled as he tried to halt his forward momentum and catch Daniel's eye, which the younger man was resolutely refusing to do. He stood looking away from Jack, his stance rigid. "Please, Daniel, don't. Danny, for god's sake...." 

Khepri watched with a sly smile as the soldier begged the linguist not to betray him and his people. 

Teal'c heard O'Neill begging DanielJackson not to sacrifice himself, knowing damn well that he wouldn't say a word. He'd always known he was a brave man but this action took even him by surprise. 

"DANIEL, LOOK AT ME! Damn you, how can you do this?" 

Daniel suddenly couldn't bear it and had to turn around. Jack almost sighed when he finally faced him only for his heart to contract in his chest at the look on Daniel's face. Never before had he seen such a look of raw emotion on that expressive face and flaring in those revealing eyes. Pain, anguish, fear and ...love. _No, oh dear god no, Daniel, not for me. I'd rather die._ The words lie still-born on Jack's tongue as Daniel actually smiled at him. 

Teal'c also saw and understood. He knew there was no way to get Daniel out of there but he could take O'Neill. Promising himself that he wouldn't leave DanielJackson behind, he took a firmer grip on his commander and dragged him out. 

The movement seemed to bring Jack out of his trance and struggling he was dragged out still calling to Daniel, begging him not to go through with this.

* * *

Daniel thought he would hear Jack's cries in his dreams for as long he was allowed to live. He knew it would not be for long. For one brief moment as he had turned to look at Jack, saying goodbye in his heart, he'd seen that look in Jack's eyes, that one he'd believed he'd seen at Christmas when he thought it was possible that Jack could love him. He cherished that look even if it really only meant that Jack loved him as his best friend, he would take anything he could get from Jack. He'd take that to his grave and be grateful that Jack could live his dream. 

Coram came to Daniel and taking hold of his right arm pulled and then pushed him across the room and through a door behind a curtain at the rear of Khepri's ebony throne. It was a control room of some sort and though Daniel recognised some of the equipment, there was much he'd never seen before. Coram dragged him in front of a pedestal topped with a large flat screen that flared into life as he watched. He saw Jack being dragged through the corridors by the two Jaffa guards, still struggling but quiet now. They took him to a room where Daniel was not surprised to see a ring platform. Even as he saw them disappear from the room, they re-appeared in the structure above. Jack was marched outside through the force field and they headed in the direction of the Stargate. 

"My Lord keeps his word. The soldier will be taken to the Chappa'ai." Coram said coldly. 

Daniel didn't answer, just watched Jack as long as he could. He knew damned well that Jack was still in danger; that this charade was for his benefit. True, it was possible that Jack was being taken to the gate, but it was just as possible they were taking him out there to kill him, meaning to trick Daniel into complying. It was also possible they intended to return him to a cell to use either as leverage, or to be the star witness at the next interrogation session. 

At least out there he had a chance. Teal'c and Sam hadn't been captured, of that Daniel was pretty certain. They'd been roughly an hour away when he and Jack had been captured and even though the odds seemed to be in favour of the Jaffa if only because of their superior numbers, Daniel never doubted Teal'c's ability to keep Sam and himself free. They would also be on the lookout for them, probably even watching the Jaffa, waiting for an opening. There were only two guards; they were no match for Teal'c and Sam. Out there Jack had a chance of escape, down here he had none. He would have sacrificed himself to buy Daniel time, time for a rescue. 

Hopefully there may still be time for a rescue, if there was a way to get back-up but Daniel decided it wouldn't do any good to think like that. _Does it matter anymore?_ He thought perhaps not; his life had become almost unbearable. He wanted Jack so much it hurt. Perhaps rescue wasn't such a good idea after all, he would still have to face the same quandary and he didn't think he was strong enough any longer. 

His attention was drawn back to the screen as he watched Jack and his two guards leave the valley of waving grass to move into the trees. 

"The surveillance is difficult now they have entered the forest. The solider will soon reach the Chappa'ai; it is time for you to pay your half of the bargain."

* * *

Sam watched as the two Jaffa exited the structure dragging the colonel with them. He'd clearly been beaten but still had enough strength to struggle with his captors, though she was surprised to see his struggles seemed to be with the intent of getting back inside the structure. One of the Jaffa slapped him before yanking him on again. It was only when Daniel was not dragged out afterwards that she understood that Jack was trying to get back to him. 

She was torn as she watched them drag him away. Part of her wanted to follow the Jaffa and part of her had to stay to find out about Daniel. And where the hell was Teal'c? 

She decided that Teal'c must have stayed to watch out for Daniel and it was up to her to help Colonel O'Neill. She'd have to be careful but having had Teal'c for an instructor she knew she could do it. She retraced the steps they'd made to get there, keeping an extra careful eye out for Jaffa patrols and only having to skirt one on the way. That particular patrol she could hardly have missed as they were making so much noise, laughing about something. She prayed that whatever it was they found so hilarious didn't involve her team-mates. Eventually the Jaffa took the colonel back into the woods and she found it interesting that they were definitely headed for the Stargate. 

After a short time, approximately halfway to the gate since entering the woods, the trio stopped. Jack spoke but Sam was too far away to hear and one of the Jaffa replied and then laughed. 

Teal'c was cautiously watching the other Jaffa, sensing the man was simply biding his time. Teal'c had enough experience of the Goa'uld to know they would not simply release O'Neill. Almost as if on cue, the Jaffa halted and turned back almost slamming into O'Neill. He released him and backed away, drawing his zat as he did so. 

Jack wasn't surprised by this turn of events; in fact he'd been expecting something of the kind ever since they'd left the complex. "What is it, time to kill me?" he asked. 

"Oh no, time to take you back but it's not necessary for you to walk this time, it is necessary for you to be silent. My Lord will take what he needs from you after he's learned all he can from that coward and disposed of..." the rest of the sentence was lost to posterity as Jack leapt at the Jaffa, only to be swept out of the air by the second guard. 

Watching Sam was caught unawares as, when the second Jaffa raised his zat even as he swept O'Neill out of the way, he was aiming at the first Jaffa. Before he could defend himself he was hit squarely in the chest. 

Jack landed on his back only a couple of feet away and watched, puzzled as the Jaffa lay twitching on the ground only to be shot a second and then a third time until there was no sign that he'd ever existed. Jack turned slowly to stare at the Jaffa who was lowering the zat and it was with great relief that he recognised Teal'c's features as the helmet was finally lowered. 

Jack climbed to his feet, ignoring all the aches and pains assaulting his body. "Teal'c, buddy, am I ever glad to see you. Daniel is in..." Jack stopped as he suddenly realised that Teal'c knew; he'd been there in the throne room. His eyes darkened and he felt his throat constrict with anger. 

Relieved, Sam came from her hiding place nearby and hurried over to her team-mates, about to wax lyrical about their escape. The words died on her lips when she saw the expression on the colonel's face. He wasn't relieved, he was angry. 

"How the hell could you just leave him there? You must have known what he was doing." 

"I knew exactly what DanielJackson was doing and I did the only thing I could in the circumstances; I carried out his wishes." 

"Damn you. It is our duty to protect him not the other way around." 

"Sir, Teal'c, what is going on?" 

"MajorCarter." The bow Teal'c gave her told her he was pleased that she had been able to follow them. 

"We left him behind, Carter." Jack said angrily before stomping off to collapse at the base of a nearby tree. 

They followed him and Carter sat next to him as Teal'c stood guard over them. Jack quickly explained what had happened and what Daniel had done. Sam didn't need to be there to understand exactly what had gone down. She knew Daniel and she could read between the lines. Even after all he'd done he still didn't seem aware of his own value and the value others put on him. It seemed that the more time passed the less faith he had in himself and in the need for his presence he created in others. Didn't he understand how such an act would affect the man for whom he had sacrificed himself? For such an intelligent man versed in the way of mankind, Daniel could be terribly naïve. 

"We have to go back for him, now," Jack said, hauling himself to his feet. "God knows what the bastard will do when Daniel doesn't keep the bargain." Jack wasn't at all surprised when no one questioned the assertion that Daniel never intended to tell the Goa'uld anything. 

"It would be pointless to attempt a rescue of DanielJackson..." 

"If you think I'm just gonna leave him there... It's my call and we're going back." 

"Sir, we don't even know how to get inside..." 

"We'll find a way." 

"O'Neill, you are speaking with your heart instead of your head. I have been inside the underground complex and there are too many Jaffa for us to be able to rescue him. Khepri will keep him close or he will be in the hands of the First Prime when he refuses to speak." 

A look of pain flashed across Jack's face at the visual that threw up but he knew that Teal'c was right. "We need help," Jack finally admitted pulling himself together. This was no way to help Danny. "How many are guarding the gate?" 

"We saw six, sir." 

For the first time in hours, Jack O'Neill smiled. "Good odds then."

* * *

Daniel was brought back before Khepri. He knew he had to buy time somehow. Not for himself, he thought his time had run out. For Jack and the others. 

"Now, Tau'ri tell me what has happened amongst the System Lords. Tell me what you know of Anubis, or Isis and Osiris, of Thoth, of Ptah, of Khnum. There are so many names you have not mentioned among the tales of your success." This last word was spoken with contempt. 

"I do not claim that we are victorious in the war against your kind. Not yet. It will be a long war and it will be difficult. But we will fight as long as it takes and in the end, we will win. We are not alone and our successes - yes I did not lie - our successes have thrown your kind into disarray. 

"I will tell you of those Goa'uld I know of. Some of those names you mentioned are still mere legend to me, though I guess they could be Goa'uld and still out there somewhere. I would also admit we've had our failures but they won't stop us from continuing to try. Now, where to begin? I suppose the beginning - Abydos." 

He talked of old missions, mistakes and lessons learned. He spoke of meeting with new races and making new allies. He spoke of the Nox and the Asgard. He spoke of the Jaffa and the growing rebellion. He told Khepri everything and yet he told him nothing. 

He spoke of the names of legend that he still wasn't sure weren't just that, or if they were yet more false gods. He admitted to having no knowledge of the whereabouts of Anubis or Isis and Osiris. 

He knew his time was coming to an end; it was clear that Khepri was growing more and more frustrated with him. Daniel waited for the axe to fall. 

"KREE! That is enough history," Khepri snapped. "I want information that will help me escape from here and take my rightful place back among the System Lords. It is obvious that the Tau'ri home world is the key to this. You will provide information about your SCG. You will give me information as to your weaponry. You will give me codes and devices. You will tell me..." 

"No," Daniel interrupted. 

"No? You think you can say no to me?" 

Daniel raised an eyebrow but didn't deign to answer. 

Khepri smiled; the kind of smile that sent a shiver down one's spine and not in a good way. He glanced at Coram, who was standing just behind Daniel and the First Prime grabbed Daniel's arms and yanked them backwards at the same time as he brought his knee up into the small of Daniel's back. Daniel grunted in pain. 

"I was hoping you would keep your word and make this easy for all of us but I did not really expect that you would. It matters not. I will get the information from you anyway." 

Daniel laughed, trying to hide the fear growing in his gut. Theory was always a little different from reality and Daniel knew he was about to get a demonstration that the theory didn't hurt as much as the practical. "I told you I've been questioned by better Goa'uld than you," he said. If they were talking they weren't beating the hell out of him, or worse. 

"Did you really think you would succeed in tricking me? That I would simply release your friend because you asked me?" With each question Khepri took a step closer to Daniel. With each question Daniel's heart thudded faster in his chest. "Where was your friend when you last saw him? Walking to safety with my Jaffa?" Khepri was inches from Daniel now and he looked directly into Daniel's eyes. "No my friend - Daniel isn't it? - Your friend is on his way back here and is probably already in a cell by now." 

Each question was like a knife in Daniel's gut but he wouldn't let the snake see how much his words hurt. _Please let Jack be safe, let him be with Teal'c and Sam._ He wished he believed in a god so he could pray. All he could do was believe in his friends, they'd come through before. 

Managing to smile, Daniel responded. "Is he? Are you sure?" 

Angry that he didn't seem to be able to shake the young man before him, Khepri lashed out and struck him across the face. It was only as the gold of the ribbon device flashed before his eyes that he realised he'd resorted to common physical attack instead of using his technology. He was shaken that he'd allowed anyone to make him debase himself in that way. 

He turned away and walking to his throne he said to Coram. "Take him and teach him that he must obey his Lord." 

Daniel's voice was thick with blood. "Not _my_ Lord."

* * *

They took stock of their situation. Jack and Daniel's weapons and packs were gone. That left Sam's P90 and zat and Teal'c's staff weapon and zat; Sam also had her knife. It was decided that the P90 was too noisy in this particular instance and so Jack and Sam took a zat each leaving Teal'c with his staff weapon. Jack appropriated Sam's knife. 

The plan was simple, split up with Jack going left, Teal'c going right and Sam coming up the middle. With only three of them it meant they had to take out two Jaffa each and watch each other's backs at the same time. Not easy but they'd faced worse and they were still here. 

Jack made his way slowly and carefully, aware that he wasn't in the best condition, neither physically nor mentally. It was difficult to concentrate on what he had to do without allowing his mind to drift, wondering what the hell Daniel was going through. _And what good are you gonna do him if you can't get your act together? Who you feeling sorry for, him or you?_

Sam moved swiftly through the trees her confidence growing all the while. She was suddenly aware of low voices ahead and she got down onto her belly and slithered through the undergrowth to get a better look at what she was facing. When she topped a small rise she could see two Jaffa standing just below her, casually talking. One was leaning against a tree, his staff weapon in his hand with the butt at rest on the ground, while the other was a few feet away making a half-hearted sweep of the tree line. Sam smiled, grateful for her luck and took careful aim at the nearest one, shooting him between the eyes; not necessary with a zat but one which gave Sam great satisfaction. While the second Jaffa was still recovering from the surprise attack, Sam shot him too. She carefully waited for a minute to ensure that none of the other Jaffa had heard anything and would come running. When it was obvious she was in the clear, she slipped into the clearing and shot each one a second time and then a third. She supposed she should feel guilty, for what seemed a cold-blooded act, but when she thought of Daniel and what ones like this could be doing to him, her blood was anything but cold. 

Jack remembered that Carter had reported that the guards had seemed lax in their duties. Probably not had any off-worlders on this ball of rock for years and had become too complacent; which was perfect for them. He was almost at the edge of the trees bordering the site of the Gate and he moved forward swiftly from tree to tree until he could see the edge of the gate platform. Just to his right he caught sight of the large oval plaque that had so fascinated Daniel. For a moment he felt the warmth of good memories wash over him before he was dragged back to reality by the sight of a Jaffa guard leaning carelessly against that same plaque. Cold anger replaced the pleasant warmth and he swiftly sought out the second Jaffa who he spotted sitting against the DHD, his back to the plaque. 

He smiled wolfishly as he put away the zat and took the knife out of his boot before he slid down until he was lying on his stomach. Moving like a snake through the brush, he quietly made his way to the rear of the plaque when he got to his feet. Listening carefully for any movement he tiptoed around the standing stone and silently came up behind the guard. In a move he hadn't used for some years but had been drilled into him so that it was like second nature, he clamped a hand over the man's mouth pulling back his head as he did so to expose the throat slitting it with the knife. The man died without making a sound. 

He then turned to go after the second man, who unfortunately chose that moment to rise and speak to his colleague. The guard turned, already opening his mouth to speak when he came face to face with a committed Special Ops Colonel instead. He never had the opportunity to voice a question or yell a warning as the knife which Jack threw imbedded itself in the guard's throat cutting off all possibility of speech ever again. 

Jack stared at the two dead men and had the odd thought that Daniel would be angry with him. _Why ever would I be angry with you, Jack?_ Daniel always wanted to try communication first but this was a kind of communication too, wasn't it? _No, Jack, that was lack of communication._ Jack knew he was in trouble when he was having a conversation with Daniel inside his own head. 

His 'conversation' was interrupted by a staff blast. He turned quickly, zat in hand though he didn't remember drawing it, to see Teal'c approaching. He bowed slightly to O'Neill to confirm he had completed his task. Then Sam came from behind the plaque, smiling confidently, hesitating a moment when she saw the dead Jaffa lying on the blood soaked ground. Her eyes tracked to the body at Jack's feet and to her knife still protruding from the corpse's neck. That explained why she'd heard nothing. She raised an eyebrow at the colonel but said nothing. 

"Only one blast, Teal'c?" Jack asked, a slight smile twisting his lips. 

"Like you O'Neill, I killed the other with a blade." 

"You didn't have a knife T." 

"I did not but the Jaffa did."

* * *

Daniel was dragged into a room at the end of the corridor. The side of his face was throbbing where Khepri's ribbon device had slashed it. He could feel the blood seeping from the wound and dripping down his cheek to run down under his chin and he could taste it in his mouth from where his teeth had cut the inside. Having experienced interrogation by the Goa'uld before he had a pretty good idea what he would be facing and he wasn't arrogant enough not to admit that he was afraid. 

The Jaffa holding him took him to the centre of the room and stood back. Daniel had been expecting chains from the ceiling or fixed to a wall to restrain him, or perhaps a table with straps but there was nothing; and surprisingly he found this fact more disconcerting. 

Coram stood by the door and just watched him, smiling a little as he saw the uncertainty in the eyes of his prey. 

"You will remove your clothing." 

"No!" 

"Either you will do it or they will. I don't much care." 

The last thing Daniel wanted to do was remove his clothes, except if someone else was going to remove them forcibly. Daniel dropped his head and closed his eyes for a moment before beginning to unfasten the buttons of his jacket. Slowly he removed all his clothes until he came to his boxers. He looked up then at Coram, a question in his eyes. 

"That will suffice. For now." With a nod of his head the two guards left him alone with the prisoner. 

Daniel struggled to stand still and not let the fear churning his insides into acid, show on his face. After a few minutes when Coram still hadn't moved Daniel was so unnerved he actually wished that Coram would do something. _For god's sake Daniel, don't do his work for him._ Jack's voice seemed to speak in his head. Daniel took a breath try to calm his racing nerves, trying to remember the lessons Jack had taught him, trying to remember how he had withstood torture, mental and physical, in the past. He knew he could do it; he had to. He'd accepted this fate, this death when he offered to stay. The only thing he had to do was take the pain and keep his mouth shut. He'd lived with pain of one kind or another most of his life and if it took his pain to save the man he loved then it was worth it. The thought bolstered him and he unknowingly straightened his back. 

Coram noticed the change in the demeanour of his prisoner and was impressed despite himself. He had no compunction about using physical torture but he'd learned that a little manipulation could work wonders in breaking down the resolve of the strongest men. He wondered at that moment if perhaps he'd underestimated this one. He had listened carefully to all that he and his companion had said and he'd been disconcerted by some of the claims, though he realised that Khepri had not refuted some of them and in fact seemed to believe he could learn much from this prisoner. Coram understood that his god had been keeping a low profile on this planet if he didn't always understand the reasons why. It did sometimes puzzle him why a god should fear to do anything he wished; yet he knew that Khepri did have such fears. How could he doubt the man was a god when he could live forever and control such great power? 

As Coram walked forward, he touched a small device on this wrist and Daniel felt as if his skin was crawling with ants. He recognised the sensation, he'd felt it before. He was trapped inside a force field. This was torture of a different kind Daniel thought clinically. Coram again touched the device and the force field became visible as a fine yellow field about two metres in diameter encircling him and the sensation on his skin now felt as if each ant was wearing spiked shoes. 

"You might find this interesting," Coram said as he walked the perimeter of the field. "My Lord asked you some questions and you refused to answer. Have you reconsidered?" 

"No," Daniel replied through gritted teeth. 

"I thought not. Each time you refuse to answer the field will contract, and as it contracts it effect will increase. You may have noticed." 

Daniel didn't answer this time. 

"Silence is also an answer." Coram turned the dial again and Daniel groaned as the pain increased as the sensation danced over his skin. 

"Will you tell my Lord of your weaponry?" 

"No, I will not." 

The field decreased and Daniel cried out. _Jack, help me! Jack; be with me, I need you._ Then Daniel remembered he was suffering through this so Jack _wouldn't_ be with him. 

"Will you tell him of your codes?" 

"N..o." Daniel gasped, trying to breathe as the pain stole the air from his lungs. 

"Will you tell of the Chappa'ai address to your world?" 

"Never." Daniel ground out and Coram turned the dial all the way until the force field itself touched Daniel's body and he screamed and screamed unable to escape from the fire that ate at his body. 

It was only as Daniel stopped screaming when his mind shut down, that Coram turned off the field and Daniel collapsed in a heap on the floor. He was unconscious and there was not a mark on his body.

* * *

Jack and Teal'c stayed behind to guard the Gate while Carter went through to the SGC for help. It would have been easier of course if they could simply have radioed Hammond, but the MALP was totally destroyed. 

They had no way of knowing if using the Gate would alert the Goa'uld but they had no choice, they needed help. Daniel needed help and it took all Jack's self-control to lie in wait, watching the gate and not knowing what the hell was happening to Daniel. He had a sudden vision of his own reaction when Daniel got into lecture mode and he just couldn't shut him up. He had two classic reactions; he would get all glassy eyed and want to slap him and then gag him or he would get so damned horny at the passion of the man, he just wanted to grab him and stick his tongue down his throat to shut him up. He knew which sounded more fun but Jack didn't want his balls handed to him on a plate by taking such an unprecedented step into Daniel's personal space and as mild-mannered as Daniel seemed he had a temper that scared even Doc Fraiser. 

The thought of the Doc brought Jack full circle with the realisation that Daniel would likely need her expert care. Jack suddenly wanted to throw up. How the hell could he have allowed Daniel to stay in his place; to allow him to stay behind with the express purpose of risking torture and death for his sake? It was his job to look after the civilian and he had woefully failed him.

* * *

When General Hammond heard that the GDO being transmitted through the Gate was SG1's he wasn't surprised, although it was almost twelve hours early. They had gone on a supposedly simple mission but it seemed that was a misnomer when applied to SG1. The iris opened and Major Sam Carter came dashing through and didn't stop until they met on the stairs to the control room. 

"Major Carter, what is the meaning of this?" 

The Major gasped out the words. "Sorry sir, it's an emergency. The colonel sent for back up, sir. He and Teal'c are holding the Gate. Daniel's been taken prisoner by a Goa'uld named Khepri. He is being...questioned. General we need back up urgently. Colonel O'Neill requested every man you can send, sir." 

"SG2 was about to ship out, I can send them through to help hold the Gate almost immediately." Hammond turned to Master Sergeant Davies. "Get Major Griff here stat and check who else is on the base." 

"Yes, sir." 

"Major, a summary please." 

"Sir." 

Hammond knew the delay was irksome but it was also necessary. He needed a clear picture from which to act. 

Less than fifteen minutes later SG2 was going through the Gate to help O'Neill and Teal'c hold the gate while further personnel were gathered and briefed. 

The General had not been very happy with the idea of a man with Doctor Jackson's knowledge in the hands of a Goa'uld, especially an unknown quantity like this Khepri. Major Carter had told him privately of how the good doctor had offered himself to allow the release of Colonel O'Neill and while he couldn't quite understand the action himself, he could well believe it was something that Daniel Jackson would do. Those two men had a complex and difficult relationship but they also had a bond of such depth and intensity he'd rarely seen between military and civilian personnel before. To an outsider their volatile relationship would suggest two men who wouldn't see eye to eye on anything, only those who really knew them understood how deeply they were interwoven and how unbreakable the strands. Hammond wondered if even he knew just how deep the connection was. He didn't need to wonder at the guilt eating at Jack O'Neill's soul. Hammond dreaded to think what Jack would do if they couldn't get Daniel back alive.

* * *

Major Griff and Colonel O'Neill discussed the deployment of their men while Teal'c kept an eye out for more Jaffa. Teal'c suggested it was likely another patrol would be along shortly. Griff didn't know for certain how many more men Hammond would send through but did say there were four full SG teams on base plus scattered team members and a few new recruits. He also said that some of the civilians had volunteered but the General had graciously refused their offer. 

"You can never convince Daniel just how well liked he is," Jack said affectionately. 

Griff smiled, "He keeps his head too buried in his books to notice." 

It took all Jack's will power not to order SG2 to accompany he and Teal'c back to the underground complex but the commander in him knew if would be suicide. It was torture for him to stand around here, safe with friends, when.... _What did I just think? It was torture for me? Oh god, what sick irony is that? It should be me suffering torture not Daniel. What had possessed Daniel to do it, to offer himself like that? Did I really see what I thought I did in his face? For one brief moment it was like looking into the heart of the man. Did I only see what I wanted to see or was it real? Did I see love there ...for me? I thought perhaps I had a chance with him but what I saw there was more than I could possibly have dreamed of. I have to get him out. I have to. Have to._

Teal'c approached Jack, recognising the torment the man was going through. He saw more than he ever acknowledged and he knew his commander, his friend better than anyone except the young man they were both worrying over. "O'Neill," he said in a tone of voice he rarely used, a tone that drew Jack's attention, as perhaps nothing else would have done just then. "DanielJackson is the strongest man I know." 

Jack managed a ghost of a smile. "I know what you're trying to say Teal'c buddy, and I thank you for it but I ...I'm just afraid that this time he's not expecting to get out of this one." 

How could he explain even to Teal'c what he'd seen in Daniel's last expression as Jack had been dragged out? How afraid was Jack because he recognised that bleak look. One moment Daniel's eyes had been full of emotion, full of love and the next.... Jack recognised that look; he'd seen it before in a mirror as he had looked at himself sitting on the sands of Abydos four years ago. It was the look that was the acceptance of death. 

Daniel had been saying goodbye.

* * *

Daniel rose slowly through the layers of mist until he finally surfaced to stiffness and aching pain. He gingerly opened his eyes and found the nightmare was in fact real. Instead of waking to find Jack looking at him as he would if he were waking in the infirmary, he was confronted by the visage of his tormentor, Coram. Daniel closed his eyes again and tried to move his hand to brush at his irritated eyes only to discover he couldn't move it. His opened his eyes again and ignoring Coram, assessed his situation. 

He was back in the same cell he'd shared with Jack, only this time he was chained to the wall. No wonder he felt so uncomfortable; all he wanted to do just then was lie down and rest but he was restrained in such a way he couldn't even sit let alone lie. His wrists were fastened by a very short chain just above shoulder height and there was another encircling his waist which he assumed was fastened behind as he couldn't see where it joined the wall. However, his range of movement there was negligible. His legs weren't restrained but as he couldn't move the upper part of his body, that was irrelevant. 

Coram stood by the door and watched as Daniel took stock of his position. "Have you recovered sufficiently?" 

"For what? Round two?" 

"If that is your wish. I would prefer to avoid that but if you still refuse to talk?" 

"I do and I can't say I appreciate your attempt at prevarication. As a rule, First Prime's don't hesitate to do whatever it takes to carry out their master's bidding and torture has never seemed the slightest problem." 

"Oh I intend to do as my Lord bids, whatever it takes but I have no fondness for physical torture." 

"Oh, so you're the charitable type." 

"I have no wish to cause permanent damage, unless you leave me no other option." 

"Don't tell me you won't use the sarcophagus if you have to," Daniel said bitterly before he could stop himself. He'd tried to not even think about that option. The idea of being put into that thing again horrified him. 

Coram moved forward suddenly. "You know of that?" 

"Oh yes!" 

Coram had a puzzled little frown between his eyes. "My Lord keeps his sarcophagus in his chambers and no one may go near it. He certainly wouldn't allow anyone else to use it." 

"Of course," Daniel said thoughtfully, "he's been here for so long he has to protect it and can't risk damage or that it may wear out. Unless, of course, he's prepared to take other hosts." 

"Other...hosts?" 

"You do know what he is, don't you? What I said was the truth about a snake inhabiting the body of a man. That body is sustained indefinitely by a combination of the snake itself and the use of the sarcophagus. If necessary the Goa'uld can switch bodies, hosts. They usually choose the most pleasing physically, male or female and any poor soul so chosen is trapped inside their own body, a prisoner with no control over anything that they might be forced to do." 

"Only a god could do such a miraculous thing." Coram moved directly in front of Daniel and looked his body up and down. Daniel was still only dressed in his thin boxers. "Perhaps my Lord may keep you for you are pleasing. Not that you would deserve such an honour." 

"Honour!" Daniel could not suppress his horror as his mind filled with images of his poor Shar'e and the hell she had been forced to live through. 

Coram frowned. "You do not consider it an honour? Ah, of course, your kind is not used to submitting to the will of others." Coram studied Daniel's face very closely and the younger man wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else just then. "The very idea terrifies you doesn't it? More than death I wonder?" 

Daniel didn't answer but perhaps he didn't have to. He was, however, grateful that Coram didn't seem to realise that if Khepri did take him as a host he would gain all the knowledge he wanted. 

"Now, we have no more time for pleasant conversation. We need to get to - what did you call it? - Round two." He opened the door as he spoke and two Jaffa entered, one bringing a small table and the other a small case, which he placed on the table. Then the guards approached Daniel and unhooked his chains from the wall, dragging him to the centre of the room. Behind them, Coram operated a small device on the wall that Daniel had never even noticed, which released a short chain to slip through a pulley above, from where it released a large hook. Daniel's wrist chains were slipped over this hook to support his entire weight. He sucked air through his teeth as the manacles dug into his wrists. 

"So much for not liking physical torture," Daniel said through gritted teeth. 

"Not liking it doesn't mean I'm not good at it," Coram replied offhandedly as he opened the small case. Inside were a few items, one that Daniel recognised immediately. 

"Ah, the ubiquitous pain-stick," Daniel said with a calmness he wasn't feeling. He couldn't see everything in the case but beside the stick, he could see a coiled whip and a sharp knife and something that looked like a wand. 

"You recognise that I see. Do you know what this is?" he asked lifting up a small metal rod with a flat circular end in the centre of which was a small red gem. Coram saw the confusion in his victim's eyes. "Let me demonstrate," he said. 

He reached out and touched the flat circle to Daniel's chest and Daniel couldn't help but track the movement with his eyes. The gem looked flat and lifeless until, with a small smile, Coram twisted the base and the gem glowed like fire; a fire that spread throughout the flesh of Daniel's chest and abdomen. Daniel gasped as the pain flared and seeped along every nerve. 

"Quite effective but not as lasting as the pain-stick." To prove his point Coram jammed the end of the pain-stick into the back of Daniel's neck and he jerked away from it not even able to scream as he still couldn't get his breath yet from the previous assault. The yellow light from the device flared from his eyes and mouth in silence for a moment. Daniel had experienced this before and it was true that once the gem had been removed from his skin the pain had vanished but the pain-stick was more insidious as its effects continued to travel through the body even after the stick was removed. Daniel jerked repeatedly, gasping and moaning as Coram and his Jaffa watched. 

"Have you reconsidered?" Coram asked sounding almost bored. 

"No," Daniel croaked. 

"I see. What's next?" Coram asked himself, picking up the whip in one hand and fingering the blade of the knife with the other.

* * *

Jack was ready to pull his hair out. What the hell was the delay? Griff had brought SG2 through almost forty-five minutes ago. Logically he knew damn well it would take some organising to get as many personnel through that Gate as possible but he was finding it very difficult to be the colonel just then. He was just a man desperate to help the love of his life and he was grateful for the silent stolid support of Teal'c. However, the truth was he _needed_ to be doing something. The longer he had to wait the more he feared for his own self-control. 

Just a few minutes later the chevrons on the Gate lit up and Jack leapt up enlivened as the relief flooded through him. The _colonel_ returned in full force as he swiftly ordered everyone to take cover just in case it wasn't Sam and the rescue team. 

The first thing through the gate was a MALP and Jack hurried over to talk to Hammond and confirm they were still in control of the Gate. In record time Sam came through with the equivalent of six SG teams, making twenty-four personnel. There were four complete teams amongst them, the others made up of individual members of other teams and a couple of base personnel with the requisite experience. 

Hammond had seen the look in Jack's eyes. "Colonel," he said in a soft voice, "bring our boy back home." 

"I won't come back without him, sir," Jack replied and the General knew it to be literal truth. 

"Be careful, Jack and keep a clear head." 

"General, he did this for me. I owe him and either we both come home or neither of us will."

* * *

Jack sorted everyone into teams. He ordered SG8 to stay behind to guard the Gate. Even though Jack couldn't really spare any men, they needed to keep their escape route protected. Teal'c selected Lieutenant Porter from SG2 to accompany him and O'Neill back to the complex. It was a simple plan but they were usually the best kind. Teal'c still had the Jaffa uniform he had appropriated and they needed to get another one for Porter. Jack was annoyed now that they'd been so precipitous in zatting all the Jaffa into oblivion, though it had seemed a good idea at the time. Keeping Teal'c, Porter and himself in the centre of the line, Jack spread the others out in their teams. Sam had taken charge of one the created teams of spare personnel, which Jack called SG9.5. He thought it was funny; Sam took the huff. The teams took a line that kept them in their separate teams but near enough for eye contact. Jack didn't want them too spread out; they needed to keep the immediate area clear but they couldn't risk warning the complex by spreading themselves too thinly. 

They were going to head towards the complex keeping a look out for one of the patrols. Teal'c had determined that at least one patrol should be out in this area, probably more. The first patrol they encountered they would take a uniform for Porter and then they would take their 'prisoner' back to the complex. In fact, Jack's return to the cells was long overdue. 

They hadn't travelled very far when Teal'c, who was on point, signalled a halt. A patrol was approaching. It was a simple matter to zat the six-man patrol and once Porter had chosen his victim, the other five were disintegrated. Porter stripped the corpse before disposing of it as well. He dressed in the Jaffa uniform, grumbling as he did so about how uncomfortable it was, suggesting that now he understood why the Jaffa always looked ready to kill. 

When Porter was ready, Jack turned to Teal'c. "How are you going to explain the delay in bringing me back?" 

"I will report that you attempted to escape and it took some time to apprehend you." 

"Sir," Sam spoke up. "You look better now than you did when you were brought out of that place." 

"You mean I oughta look as if they beat the crap outta me?" 

Sam shrugged and Jack gave a wry grin. "Okay big guy, let me have it," he said with a sigh. 

Now if he'd asked any other member of the SGC, he might have been met by reluctance but this was Teal'c. Without the slightest hesitation he pulled back his arm and hit O'Neill in the face. Jack dropped like a stone. Other than O'Neill's mumbled growls there was silence. 

Teal'c reached out and pulled Jack to his feet. "Thanks," he said through swiftly swelling lips as blood seeped from the re-opened wound on his cheek. Jack knew a pulled punch when he felt one. 

"Better?" he sarcastically asked Sam. 

"Much more realistic, sir." 

"Smart ass." 

The rest of the journey to the complex was made without further contact with any more patrols. Sam took all but one of the teams with her to hide below the lip of the hill. The remaining members of SG2 trailed Jack and his 'guards' by slithering through the long grass on the approach to the structure, ready to make their move. 

Teal'c and Porter each grabbed one of Jack's arms as they came within the view of the guards at the force field. Teal'c said a few words in Goa'uld and the force field was dropped. As they were about to enter, Teal'c and Porter released Jack and launched a surprise attack on the guards. Jack took out his zat and disposed of one body while the other was stripped for one of their men to wear as a disguise so he could guard the entrance. Jack signalled the others and everyone came running. 

Teal'c led them towards the ring room where there were two more guards on duty. They were swiftly disposed of and Carter took charge of the device that controlled the rings. The major was going to guard the surface and the entry to the complex, keeping most of the other personnel with her until they were signalled to come down. 

Griff and SG2 were to guard the ring room inside the complex and keep in constant contact with Teal'c and O'Neill. As the only two who had any knowledge of the layout of the complex they were going to do a quick reconnaissance to try and locate Daniel. They had considered taking all the personnel down with them but an attack without any knowledge of Daniel's whereabouts, or condition, was dangerous. 

Teal'c had explained that the ring room below in the complex had not been guarded, probably as they saw no cause for it. They ringed down, back to back facing outward with weapons drawn just in case. The room was empty. 

Jack gave Griff one last look and was met with a nod before he moved out, Teal'c at his side. When they infiltrated the corridor they separated, Teal'c heading for the throne room and Jack for the cells. He had a feeling that was where he'd find Daniel. He knew logically that his gut feeling was based on his extensive experience with the snakes but deep down he knew it was more. Where his archaeologist was concerned, Jack instinctively trusted his feelings.

* * *

His neck and shoulders were covered in small burns from the pain-stick whilst his chest was peppered with small circles from the ra'aner gem. Kanto, who was an expert with the blade, had cut into the flesh of his legs letting the blade travel slowly upwards. He knew just how to do it so as not to cause too much blood loss but to cause excruciating pain. 

Bonar enjoyed using the whip and so far Coram had let him enjoy himself twice and the fine stripes vied for space amongst the burns on Daniel's back and chest. 

Yet still the man would not utter a word. Oh, he moaned and he screamed but he wouldn't answer a single question. 

Daniel had withstood all this horror by keeping a vision of Jack in his mind's eye. A changing kaleidoscope of memories of his last three years with Jack on SG1; the good and the bad because all of it had contributed to his understanding, friendship and eventual love of the man. 

He may have been hoarse from screaming, with tears mingling freely with his blood, but he was still as determined as ever. He would _not_ let Jack down, or his friends, his family. He'd spent most of his life, since his parents died, struggling alone against what had often seemed a hostile world and it had been hard but it made him strong. It had taken a lot to break through the barriers he'd built around himself but for those who took the trouble, those who proved worthy; there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. For the man he loved? He would give all he had, all he was. 

He sagged in his chains, no longer able to support his own weight. The manacles had long since cut into his wrists and the blood running down his arms joined that on his abdomen. His head lolled against his shoulder and he watched as a trail of blood ran down his arm from his wrist and onto his side. He gave a small smile as he realised that his time was at last running out. He couldn't lose blood like this indefinitely. He'd been feeling light-headed for quite some time now and he knew it wasn't all due to the pain; some of it was from the loss of blood. He never thought the time would come when he would wish for death; he'd always been a fighter. This time though he'd abdicated the battle in favour of a greater good, not for his world this time but for a purely personal reason. It was to his greater good that Jack lived and it was a choice he'd made freely. Now he'd thought he'd paid enough. _Isn't it time for me to go yet, please?_

* * *

Teal'c had agreed with O'Neill that it was more likely that DanielJackson would have been sent back to the cells, particularly when Khepri realised that he was not going to answer any of his questions. Teal'c had too much experience with the Goa'uld method of interrogation not to know what would be required for such a session and the gaudy surroundings of a throne room would not be suitable. Yet it was necessary to be certain, this false god may have different requirements. 

In truth he had wanted to investigate the cells himself, not quite trusting that O'Neill would be able to investigate and report back to the others before taking action. If he found his friend, the man he knew he should be protecting, in the state that Teal'c suspected, it was likely O'Neill would - in his own vernacular - lose it. Then Teal'c berated himself for his lack of faith in his commander's professionalism. He would know he could never free DanielJackson on his own; he would need all the support they had. Teal'c hoped it would be enough. 

His helmet in place, Teal'c approached the throne room. There were many Jaffa milling around and Teal'c walked calmly into the midst of them. His first thought was that he had been mistaken and indeed DanielJackson was being tortured before Khepri and he was greatly relieved to find he was mistaken. Khepri's scribe was there and he had laid out on the floor many pieces of parchment that resembled some kind of diagram. As Teal'c gave a quick study he realised that there were several glyphs that he recognised as being symbols for Goa'uld. Could this be some kind of family tree? This would really interest DanielJackson. If he was still alive, Teal'c added with anger at his lapse of concentration. 

Teal'c took a circuitous route around the room and exited as unnoticed as he had entered. He made his way back towards the ring room intending to continue on towards the cell block if O'Neill had not returned by the time he arrived.

* * *

Jack was moving very cautiously along the corridors. Daniel would never forgive him if he got caught now! He knew he was near the cellblock and he felt a sudden panic about what he might find. The scream that rent the air chilled the blood in his veins and cut his heart to pieces. He recognised the voice. 

For a moment he froze and then he made to run towards the sound before, with a stifled cry, he stopped. Jack crammed his fist into his mouth to keep silent and with heart pounding in his chest he crept forward. _Forgive me Danny, forgive me, forgive me. Danny forgive me._ The words kept repeating like a mantra in his mind as he moved towards the sobs that interspersed the screams. The cells he passed were empty; there were no guards in the corridor. The cries drew him on. He knew exactly where Daniel was. Back in their cell, _in their cell. Forgive me Danny, forgive me._

Jack wanted to run. He wanted to run away and not have to face what was beyond that grill; not to have to face his failure to protect the man he loved. He wanted to run and tear down the walls that separated him from the monsters that could do this to such a gentle trusting being as Daniel. He wanted to take him up in his arms and carry him to safety. He did neither. He stood looking at the grill, listening with tears at the corners of his eyes, afraid to go any closer and see. 

Then he heard Daniel's voice, the words broken and gasped. "Isn't it ...time for me ...to go yet ... please?" and his soul cracked. 

Unbidden, his legs moved forward and his years of Special Ops took over as he pressed flat against the wall alongside the grill, not even knowing how he got there. He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, took a breath then slowly opened them again and glanced through the grill into the cell beyond. He clamped his mouth shut to keep his cry inside as he saw Daniel chained to the ceiling by his wrists, his nearly naked form covered in slashes, burns and whip marks, streaked with blood and his face washed with tears. Jack forced down the bile that rose in his throat and stopped the tears that wanted to flow. He believed then that if he could allow himself to cry they would be tears of blood.

* * *

Teal'c reached the ring room and there was no sign of O'Neill. Teal'c signalled to MajorGriff that he was going after O'Neill and quickly continued on his way. When he was halfway to the cell block he heard someone approaching and hid behind the grill to avoid unnecessary confrontation. Therefore, he watched O'Neill approaching and was somewhat unnerved by what he saw. O'Neill was clearly furious but it was tempered by a haunted expression in his eyes. Teal'c knew he'd found DanielJackson. 

As O'Neill approached, Teal'c moved into view and O'Neill joined Teal'c behind the grill. The normally garrulous colonel didn't say a word; he just looked at Teal'c and let his eyes do his talking. 

"You have found DanielJackson." It wasn't a question. 

"Let's get back. There's not much time." 

Teal'c led the way back to the ring room and at Jack's nod on entering, Major Griff signalled one of his men onto the pad and he was transported up to the structure. Jack paced clearly agitated; there was no way he was going to explain this twice. The rings operated a few times bringing team members down from the structure into the complex until there was just a small team left on the surface to guard the ring room and the force field. 

When everyone was congregated, Teal'c gave a quick run down of what he'd learned and told them that he surmised Khepri was probably trying to sort out the relationships and alliances amongst the remaining system lords. He'd probably learned a lot from his initial interrogation of DanielJackson and O'Neill, and possibly the archaeologist had given him further information since. 

"You assume that Doctor Jackson will have told this Khepri everything he wants to know then?" asked Major Carson, leader of SG6. 

"Daniel wouldn't have told him anything that wasn't general knowledge to any Goa'uld who hadn't been hiding out here for centuries," Sam replied sharply. 

"How can you be sure of that? He's only a civilian and he's been held by this Goa'uld for hours and the lord knows what they've done to him. He could have told ..." 

"You're fairly new here, Major..." 

Jack's weary voice interrupted Carter. "Daniel may be a civilian but he is also the bravest man I ever met. He stayed here by _choice_ Major, knowing damned well what he was facing. He's been tortured before and he didn't break then either." Jack continued walking slowly, and deliberately towards the young major. "Tell me this Carson, if Daniel has talked as you seem to think, why he is hanging in chains down in the cells, half dead?" Jack cringed as he heard Sam's gasp. "I could hardly see a patch of skin that wasn't cut, or burned or whipped yet they were still trying to make him talk." As he said those last words he was so close to Carson that his breath ghosted across the major's face and the man pulled back shaken. 

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't... understand," he faltered. 

"No one ever does," Jack said quietly.

* * *

"Isn't it...time for me...to go yet...please?" 

Coram smiled at the broken plea from the young man. "Oh no, not yet, you've not spent enough time with me." 

"Did I say...that out loud?" Daniel asked hoarsely. 

"Yes, you did." _Now perhaps we can really begin,_ Coram thought. He looked thoughtfully at his prisoner clinging to consciousness by a thread. The man was a thinker, a philosopher even, considering the way he spoke to his Lord. Sometimes a person can think too much. Coram smiled at the thought. He would leave the young man alone with his pain and with his thoughts; let his own despair torture him. 

He snapped his fingers. "Kree!" The guards moved in and unfastened Daniel from the hook and dragged him back to the wall. They connected his wrist chains to the wall and fastened the restraint around his waist, forcing him to stand. His wracked body sagged against the chains and he moaned. 

Coram dismissed the guards and then stood directly in front of Daniel. "Just think on this. You're alone, abandoned; no one is going to help you. Your pain won't end unless my Lord Khepri decides it will. He may allow you to die; or perhaps he will choose to keep you in case he needs this host you spoke of. But I digress, think on this. I will be back shortly and we will begin again." 

Daniel didn't even try to lift his head from where it lay on his chest. Coram thought he was so clever. He seemed to have forgotten that Daniel had chosen to stay, he hadn't been abandoned and he wasn't really alone, not where it mattered. In his heart and soul. Coram thought leaving him here alone was a punishment but Daniel was grateful. He watched the blood dripping onto the floor and wondered how many drops he would have to lose before he could die. Absently he counted the drops and when he reached one hundred his mind drifted off to the one hundred days that Jack had been missing on Edora and how he'd wondered then if he would ever see him again. That heart-rending experience had helped Daniel to understand just how much Jack meant to him. 

He was sad now that he'd never had the opportunity to tell him, to show him just how much he loved Jack. Regret was a burden he wished he didn't have to take to his grave. Another burden was guilt, not his own guilt but Jack's. There was no way he could stop Jack feeling guilt for his fate. He could only hope his friends helped him to shoulder it. 

Daniel closed his eyes trying to sleep, hoping he wouldn't wake up.

* * *

Jack led the way back down to the cells. Carter had stayed behind with her team to guard the ring room and Major Griff took his team to keep on a close watch on the corridor leading to the throne room where Teal'c had reported seeing so many of the Jaffa. Jack took the remainder of the men with him and dropped pairs off at strategic locations on the way to provide back up as they returned with Daniel Jackson. So far they'd been lucky and Jack didn't hold out any hope that their luck would last. 

Finally, he and Teal'c with Carson and Wheeldon of SG6 reached the short corridor that lead to the cell where Daniel was being held. Jack steeled himself to hear more sounds of Daniel's ordeal but instead was met only with silence. He glanced at Teal'c not knowing whether to feel relieved or apprehensive. They could have left Daniel alone for a time; or, god forbid, he could be dead. Teal'c understood without the need for words. 

Taking a breath, Jack signalled Carson and Wheeldon to watch their six while he and Teal'c moved carefully forward. Jack's heart was beating a tattoo in his chest and he felt as if his fear was crawling up his throat needing to escape through his mouth in a scream. He bit his lower lip in an unconscious mimic of the man he fervently wished was still alive in that hell-hole. 

Teal'c reached the grill first and glanced quickly inside. His relief at seeing there were no Jaffa present was shattered when he caught sight of the gentle scholar chained to the opposite wall. Even though he knew what to expect, especially as O'Neill had pulled no punches in his description of DanielJackson's condition, he still felt the frisson of rage as he realised how much the young archaeologist must have suffered. He became aware of O'Neill standing statue-like alongside him as he swiftly operated the device, which opened the grill. 

Both men rushed forward to check on Daniel and as O'Neill put his fingers to DanielJackson's neck and sighed with relief, Teal'c knew that he was at least alive. He appeared to be asleep held up only by the chains on his wrists and around his waist. 

O'Neill managed to get an arm around him and taking some of his weight whilst whispering into his ear, "You'll be all right Danny, you'll be all right now." 

Teal'c moved across to the small table by the door. There was a small open case, which Teal'c looked at with disgust. Also on the table was the key to unlock the restraints. Teal'c shut the lid on the case; it wouldn't do for O'Neill to see what was in it. He moved back to hear O'Neill still muttering to DanielJackson who, as yet, still appeared to be unconscious. 

"I'm sorry Danny, so sorry. I'll take you home, I promise. I'll get you home to Fraiser, she'll look after you. Daniel, wake up now. Please." 

"O'Neill," Teal'c said indicating the keys. Jack moved directly in front of Daniel, supporting his whole weight, as Teal'c swiftly unfastened the manacles around Daniel's wrists and then the chain around his waist. "I will carry DanielJackson." 

"No, not this time Teal'c, I'll take him." _I need to feel him, know he's really with me. Feel his breath on my skin, his heart beneath my hand._

Teal'c gave his customary bow. 

"You take point, Major Carson and Captain Wheeldon can take the six." Even as he spoke the sound of gunfire filled the air. "Dammit to hell! I knew we'd been too fucking lucky." 

As if Jack's raised voice was a siren call, Daniel moaned and his eyes fluttered. At the same time Carson and Wheeldon appeared in the open doorway. 

"Sir, they're coming." Carson's eyes widened at the sight of Daniel Jackson cradled against the colonel's chest. "Fuck!" 

"Clear the way, Teal'c. Wheeldon support Teal'c." Jack hoisted Daniel over his shoulder, took his P90 from Teal'c and turned to Carson. "Watch my back Carson, I need your help. Our priority is to get Doctor Jackson back through the Stargate. Understood?" 

"Yes sir, you can rely on me." 

Jack studied the young major and nodded. "I know."

* * *

Sam moved to the door of the ring room wondering what the hell was going on. The sound of P90s reached her from the direction that Major Griff and SG2 had taken. She'd been expecting trouble from the moment Colonel O'Neill had dispersed the troops. She knew that he would have strung out his men between here and the cell block but between her and the throne room there was only SG2. 

"Ackerman!" she yelled and the young lieutenant came running. Sam pointed to the other side of the corridor and she dropped to her knees on her side of the passageway, P90 at the ready. Kelly and McKay were left guarding the ring room and they had contact with the troops guarding the surface ring room. Back up was available if absolutely necessary but they would need to be careful to leave support in the surface ring room. Voices could be heard interspersing the weapon's fire of both P90s and staff weapons. Griff had to be in retreat and heading this way. _God, where was the colonel?_

* * *

Coram heard the commotion, heard strange weapons fire and instantly knew they had underestimated O'Neill. He had sent out for news of the missing prisoner, he'd been due back hours ago but it had been reported there were problems with communications and Coram hadn't thought to take the situation seriously. Daniel said they were too complacent but Lord Khepri had dismissed the charge with disdain. Once again Daniel had been proven correct. Shouldn't it have been Khepri who was correct? 

Coram shook his head to dismiss these unwelcome thoughts. He knew where they were heading; for the cell block. Leaving his quarters he snapped out a command and the six Jaffa training in his anteroom raced to his support. They marched down the corridor, staff weapons at the ready.

* * *

Moving as swiftly as he could with his precious cargo, Jack followed Teal'c back towards the ring room. Daniel's brush with consciousness had been brief and after a couple of moans his eyes had stopped fluttering and he'd quietened again. They'd already picked up a couple of the men Jack had left guarding the main corridor leading to the section where Daniel was held. His confidence was growing each step they traversed towards the ring room. 

There was a sudden shout from Carson. "Jaffa six o'clock!" 

Rolling Daniel to safety Jack dropped to his knees swivelling as he did so and his P90 joined Carson's in sweeping the corridor behind and the branch corridor to the left from where Jaffa were emerging. 

"O'Neill!" Teal'c's voice rang out from behind. 

Jack and Carson dropped flat as Teal'c staff weapon and the P90s from the three SG troops raked the corridor, dropping Jaffa where they stood. Jack leapt to his feet, picked up Daniel's prone form again, Carson watching his back all the time even as Teal'c and the others set a perimeter. As soon as Jack was ready they moved out cautiously, Teal'c hanging back until Jack had passed him and joined Carson to form a rearguard. 

Sounds of weapons fire and yelling could be heard from every direction but the Jaffa seemed uncoordinated. 

Sam and Ackerman waited nervously for the Jaffa to appear, hearing the sounds getting nearer and nearer. 

SG2 was hard pressed having to retreat from one decorative grill to another, each man leap-frogging from one to the next, each covering the next man as he backed away from the oncoming Jaffa. Major Griff watched as a tall man in gaudy robes leaned around one of the grills and yelled something in Goa'uld to the Jaffa and he wondered if that was this Khepri that Jack O'Neill had mentioned. He took careful aim and fired his weapon but the damned son of a bitch was either psychic or just fucking lucky. _Keep coming snake boy, one of us will get you._

Griff wondered if O'Neill had Jackson yet, but as they had agreed not to use their radios except in dire emergencies to avoid giving any intel to the enemy he'd have to wait and see. They had to keep moving back towards the ring room or they'd get cut off. The colonel was bound to have heard all the racket, and Carter would do everything in her power to keep the rings free. The close connection between SG1 was legendary and their civilian was at once both their weakness and their strength and Griff knew they'd all die before they'd willingly let anything happen to him. 

It was a gradual retreat but it was working. To seasoned troops who had faced the Jaffa before, it was clear these men were not used to such combat. They were willing but they lacked the experience of a close knit team. They were more used to acting as simple guards to a Goa'uld who hadn't gone to war in centuries. 

Carson was supporting Wheeldon who had a shoulder injury but both men were still firing, protecting the colonel who was flagging a little under the weight of Jackson, but nothing could persuade O'Neill to relinquish his burden. 

Jack kept up a muttered running commentary for Daniel, not caring that the man couldn't hear him, just knowing that he needed to talk to him. His guilt at the condition of his friend was lightened by the knowledge they were going to get him out; Jack wouldn't consider the possibility of failure. 

They only had two more SG personnel to pick up now; they were almost back at the ring room. That was when Jack heard the voice. 

"You must not allow them to reach the ring platform!" 

Coram. 

Jack glanced at Teal'c; he too had heard the voice. Teal'c nodded to Jack who simply looked back at him, not needing to say anything. He read Teal'c clearly as Teal'c read him. Jack was to look after Daniel while Teal'c looked after Coram. They each trusted the other would succeed. 

Teal'c moved across the corridor and pressed himself back against the wall near the junction with the side corridor from where the voice had come. 

The other members of the SGC didn't know exactly what was going on but they understood enough to know that it was something important. They hadn't missed the unspoken communication between the two members of SG1. Jack lowered Daniel to the ground and then dropped to his knees. He signalled the other team members to spread out and be ready for incursion from the side corridor. They took their positions and waited. Jack signalled Carson who was on the opposite side of the corridor from Teal'c, to fire into the side corridor and then sprint over the crossing to the far side of the main corridor and cover them. 

Carson understood immediately, they would draw fire and bring the Jaffa out from cover and Teal'c would lie in wait. The captain sprayed the corridor, running as he did so before slamming himself against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor. He continued to fire from that side covering his team-mates as they too made their way across until just Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were left. The Jaffa had been returning fire and moving closer to the cross section all the time. 

Jack looked at Daniel lying so still at his feet and picking up his P90 ran to the opposite side of the corridor from Teal'c. 

"Coram, ya there you bastard?" 

"O'Neill," Coram snarled. 

"Toldja I never do what a snake tells me. Remember I toldja about all those snakes I killed? Well I'm back for one more. You're a bonus. I owe ya for Danny." Jack used his tried and true snake baiting tone. He could almost see the expression Daniel would throw at him if he'd been conscious. 

Daniel could have sworn he could hear Jack's voice. _Is that what I asked for, to hear Jack's voice one more time? Or was it to see his beloved face?_

"I am a bonus you will not collect. And I haven't finished with Daniel yet." 

_I certainly never wanted to hear *that* voice again._

"You'll never get your hands on him again." 

"Ja.....ck?" Jack spun around at the sound of his name. 

"Daniel," Jack breathed hardly believing that those blue eyes were looking back at him. 

Jack moved back quickly and knelt down beside him. "It's all right Danny, we've got you," he said softly, unconsciously drifting his fingers across Daniel's cheek. "Lie quiet, I'll be back for you in a moment." 

_Jack, it really was Jack. Oh, thank you._ "Don't leave me, Jack," Daniel gasped as he immediately missed the warmth of Jack's touch. 

Jack sucked in a breath at those words. "You can see me, just there," he whispered pointing. "I won't leave you." 

Daniel's eyes tracked him as he moved back into position. Jack so wanted to stay with Daniel it was like a physical hurt. He had to force himself to concentrate on Coram who was speaking again. 

"....to get out of here. My Lord Khepri will show you what a god can do." 

Jack moved a few inches to his left, nearer the cross section. It was a calculated risk to try and draw Coram nearer. He had to trust his team-mates to cover him. "Your Lord Khepri is a fraud. False god; soon to be dead false god." 

With an enraged roar, Coram broke from cover and ran at Jack who stood his ground, as the Jaffa began firing to protect their First Prime. SG personnel returned the fire pinning down the Jaffa. It was pretty much a stand off. As Coram rounded the corner Teal'c was ready for him and stiff-armed him across the neck. Coram dropped, gulping for air like a beached fish. Teal'c reached down for him but Coram blocked his arm and rolled from under his reach. Coram staggered to his feet and met Teal'c head on, the strength evenly matched. 

Jack backed away from the continuing struggle and returned to Daniel. "Come on, Daniel," he said as he hoisted the injured man onto his shoulder. "We're gonna run for it." 

"Teal'c?" Daniel asked. 

"Can take care of himself, and that bastard." Jack replied firmly. 

Settling Daniel as comfortably as possible, Jack glanced quickly at Teal'c who presently had Coram pinned against the wall as the First Prime tried to squeeze the air out of his lungs. Teal'c ignored the growing ache in his chest and proceeded to lean in and increase the pressure his lower arm was exerting on his opponent's neck and get his leverage just right. It looked rather like a stalemate but Jack knew who his money was on. 

Jack switched his gaze to Carson who was clearly waiting for him to make his move. 

Carson yelled, "Now!" 

The SG personnel fired their weapons with renewed vigour and most of the Jaffa pulled back into cover giving Jack the opportunity to cross the exposed area. He was met by grabbing arms and pulled to safety. Carson immediately helped to lower Daniel to the ground. 

"I'm fine," Daniel gasped, as Jack fell to his knees beside him, Carson on the other side. "Teal'c, how's Teal'c?" 

Jack reached out a hand to brush a lock of hair from Daniel's forehead. "I'll get him, don't worry. Carson, watch him." Jack's eyes added _and don't dare let anything happen to him._

Carson nodded and understood perhaps for the first time why SG1 worked so well. They really were a team. Each of them had a role and each filled that role to perfection but beneath that they cared for each other and did whatever it took to protect one another, no matter the cost. Carson knew now how much of a disservice he'd done to Doctor Jackson by assuming the others carried him on the team. The man was a mess, god knows what he'd gone through in that cell and still his first concern was for his team-mate. Carson hoped that one day he would be part of such a team and earn such respect.

* * *

Teal'c held the First Prime against the wall, struggling to keep his grip as he gasped for breath, feeling his ribs crack as the Jaffa squeezed his chest tighter. He looked into Coram's face and saw his eyes were fixed on Teal'c's forehead. With a last ditch effort Teal'c pressed harder against the other man's throat and Coram was forced to release his hold on Teal'c a fraction. 

"Sign of my ... false god. Dead false god." Teal'c gasped 

Coram's eyes widened as he remembered Daniel using that phrase, said it was from a friend of his. This man, this First Prime was a friend of the Tau'ri? It was all true, the death of gods, the betrayal by the Jaffa; the rebellion. And Khepri. What was Khepri? 

Teal'c felt the pressure on his chest reduce as Coram stared, entranced at the gold emblem. "You will kill and maim no more for your false god." Teal'c put his whole weight into the arm across Coram's neck and crushed his windpipe. The man dropped like a stone his eyes wide and staring. 

"Teal'c, for god's sake, move it!" O'Neill yelled. 

Teal'c tore his eyes from the dead man at his feet and saw O'Neill waiting with the others. He leaned down and grabbed the collar of the dead Jaffa Prime and dragging him to the cross section, threw him into the corridor. All firing stopped. Teal'c stepped out and stood over the corpse letting the Jaffa see who and what he was. 

"Take him to his god. His false god, soon to be dead false god." Teal'c echoed O'Neill's words; then he stepped over the body and moved on to his team-mates, leaving only silence behind. 

Ahead there was still the sound of fighting. O'Neill again shouldered DanielJackson and Teal'c smiled a little to hear the familiar grumbling and the classic DanielJackson line of 'I'm fine.' Yes all will be fine, now. 

Teal'c hurried on ahead to see what was happening and on approaching the area of the ring room he saw MajorCarter and Lieutenant Ackerman providing back-up to SG2 who was keeping superior numbers of Jaffa at bay. 

"O'Neill!" 

Jack heard Teal'c shout and it was enough to tell him they had trouble. He knew how near they were to the rings and it was obvious Carter and Griff had their hands full keeping it clear. 

"Carson, take the men forward and back-up Teal'c and the others." 

"Yes, sir. What about you?" 

"Go! I'll be right behind you." 

Carson nodded and the SG personnel ran to help the others. 

"Nearly there, Danny," he said. 

"Put me down, Jack. You should go." 

"Never leaving you behind, you know that." 

"Come back for me." 

"Never again. Never going through that again. We go together." 

Daniel frowned but deep inside he was glad.

* * *

Sam heard Teal'c yell and knew the others were here. She breathed a sigh of relief. Ackerman was wounded, as was Griff. Both were still able to fight but she'd been getting worried. She knew Teal'c and Jack wouldn't be back without Daniel, she just prayed he was okay. 

"Griff!" she yelled. 

"I heard," he called back, "'bout time." 

The staff blast over their heads from behind signalled Teal'c's arrival, as did the increase in P90 fire. Major Carson arrived at Sam's elbow. 

He knelt at her side and quickly reported. "Colonel O'Neill has Doctor Jackson. He's not good but he is conscious now. I think he'll be okay, eventually." 

She gave him a grateful smile for the news before firing to teach a Jaffa to keep his head down. 

"Kelly," Sam yelled to the captain who was in charge of the ring platform. "Be ready, they're coming." 

"Acknowledged." 

By this time the corridor outside the ring room was lined with SG personnel crouching behind gaudy pillars and convenient grill work. A voice could be heard yelling in Goa'uld and though no one, except Teal'c, could understand a word the meaning was obvious. Khepri's Jaffa were not performing to his expectations. 

Suddenly another voice yelled out in Goa'uld. Teal'c repeated his words in English for his compatriots. "Your god is false as is every other Goa'uld. I proved it to your First Prime before I killed him." 

Carson said quietly to Carter. "He was the one who tortured Doctor Jackson. Teal'c killed him with his bare hands. Gave a few Jaffa back there something to think about." 

Jack called out. "Carter, everything set?" 

Sam turned round and saw her C.O. carrying her friend over his shoulder. She thought she was prepared to see Daniel, but she wasn't. She gasped at the sight of his back as Jack turned into the ring room. She pulled out of the defence line and hurried to join him. "Yes, sir. Aw god, Daniel, look at you." 

"I'll..." Daniel began. 

"Don't you dare say you'll be fine," she said firmly and Jack just smiled. 

"Let's get things moving," Jack said. "I'm going to send you through Daniel, get you back to Fraiser." 

Daniel wanted to ask Jack not to leave him, to come through with him, but he knew he couldn't do that. Jack had already stayed with him for too long, and besides, Daniel saw the expression in Jack's eyes. He wouldn't make this any more difficult. 

Jack was still talking and Daniel forced himself to listen. "Carter, I'm relying on you to get him back. Teal'c and I will get everyone else through and follow you back. Signal SG8 as soon as you through the force field." 

"Yes, sir. We'll be able to hold the Gate till you get there." 

Captain Kelly picked up Daniel as carefully as he could and then Carter and her team stepped onto the ring platform, beaming up to the room above. Daniel's eyes never left Jack's until he could no longer see him.

* * *

Jack sat in his usual chair beside Daniel's bed, one hand resting on Daniel's arm where it lay above the covers wired up to the IV. Daniel's face was very pale and the cut and surrounding bruises on his cheek caused by Khepri's ribbon device were still visible. Most of his torso and upper legs were bandaged. 

He was still recovering from his surgery though Doc Fraiser reported to General Hammond and SG1 that fortunately Daniel's injuries looked much worse than they actually were and that his greatest danger was from blood loss. The burns from the pain-stick while extremely painful were relatively minor; the unusual circular marks resembled chemical burns. Apparently the knife wounds had been inflicted in such a manner to deliberately cause agonising pain but the main purpose seemed to have been blood loss, presumably to make the victim weak. Most of the major damage appeared to have been caused by the whip on Daniel's back and chest and the attempt at repair had been the main reason for the surgery. He had some bruising to his kidneys and a cracked rib, but that might have occurred during his original beating. Fraiser said that in fact, Daniel had been damned lucky to escape without any major organ damage. 

She had, however, made mention of his probable need for psychological counselling eventually. On hearing this, Jack had given her a long hard look and she knew without his having to say a word what that meant. It hadn't been all that long ago that he had blamed Janet for letting Daniel down and supporting Mackenzie in consigning Daniel to the mental ward. No way in hell was Jack O'Neill going to allow that to happen again. Glancing at Jack but reporting to the general she went on to say that the options could be looked at in more detail later, after his physical recovery. 

She also reported that there had been other injuries sustained during the rescue; five had occurred during the fight in the complex and two others during the race back to the Gate. Unfortunately one of those was critical; Porter had taken a staff weapon blast to his chest, resulting in a collapsed lung and extensive tissue damage. It would take time but he would make a full recovery. The other injuries included Major Griff who had sustained a serious thigh injury, Ackerman and Wheeldon who both had shoulder injuries and Dinas of SG6 who had a bad burn down his right side from a staff weapon. Peters had received a minor knife wound and McKay had a broken pelvis both sustained on the way to the Gate. 

The infirmary was pretty full but even when Daniel was stabilised Janet Fraiser made extra time to drop in and check on her favourite patient and to try once again to get Colonel O'Neill to rest. She had needed to pull out the big guns just to get him to allow her to examine and treat his injuries. She threatened to eject him from her infirmary altogether unless he first submitted to her ministrations; only then would he be allowed to sit with Daniel. Jack couldn't even argue that Daniel needed someone and he had to stay, Teal'c and Carter were already at his bedside. He'd given in though but not gracefully. 

Colonel O'Neill had obviously taken quite a beating which he tried to dismiss as 'nothing to worry about' and being used to his alpha male attitude Fraiser was concentrating on dressing a minor injury he'd picked up on the run back to the gate when Major Carson approached. 

"Colonel O'Neill, I just wanted to say I'm glad that Doctor Jackson is going to be all right. He sure looked a mess when we first found him." 

"Yeah, thanks major." 

Carson nodded and turned to leave when Jack's voice stopped him. "Carson, ya did good out there, your first time against the Goa'uld an' all. But let me just say this. We were lucky, lucky that this particular snake had been out of the loop for so long and that his Jaffa weren't better prepared to fight us. Against one of the others?" Jack left Carson to ponder that question. 

Carson nodded again and this time he made his escape. 

"Never give anyone a break eh, Colonel?" 

"I just gave that man a break Doc. He doesn't need to go up against his next Goa'uld too cocky." 

"Not like someone else I could mention." 

Jack just glared at her and asked. "Ya finished?" 

"Yes, Colonel I'm finished. Your chair awaits." 

"Thanks." 

As he approached Daniel's bed again he saw Carter seated in the chair and Teal'c standing at the foot of the bed as usual. Looking at the stoic Jaffa, Jack felt a little envious. On a personal level Jack had so wanted revenge for Daniel's ordeal and he hadn't managed to get it. Teal'c had taken out the bastard who'd tortured Danny and for that he was grateful but he'd missed his chance at getting his hands round Khepri's throat. The snake had kept well out of range and though Jack had heard him several times and seen him once as they provided rear guard for everyone else to get out of the complex, neither he nor anyone else had got a clear shot at the supposed god. 

Then he looked beyond Teal'c to the pale face of the man he loved and all thoughts of anything but gratitude just fled. Carter saw his approach and got up out of the chair. He started to wave her back but she just smiled. Everyone knew that when Daniel was in this bed Jack was in that chair. She would cover for him when he needed a break, usually only then by the orders of the Doc or the General. 

He sat in the uncomfortable chair and began his vigil. Janet had warned him that Daniel would be out for at least twelve hours due to the anaesthetic but that wouldn't stop him waiting by the bedside. Jack had no intention of allowing Daniel to wake alone whatever time that was and Daniel was no less contrary when injured in the infirmary than any other time in his life. The odds are he would wake up in the early hours of the morning whether twelve hours had passed or not. 

Carter and Teal'c stayed with him for a while, Carter leaving first to finish her report and to get some much needed rest. Teal'c only left when it was time for him to perform kel'no'reem. 

As Teal'c left he turned back and quietly said, "O'Neill, I understand you would have wished to take revenge for the treatment of DanielJackson but I considered it more important that you were by his side. It is where you belong." 

Jack raised an eyebrow, not sure what to say to that. He was saved the necessity when Teal'c simply bowed and left. Jack stared at the curtain as it fell back into position. _Does he mean what I think he means? Surely he can't know?_

Ah, but this was Teal'c and Jack suddenly realised that it was perfectly possible that he _did_ know. He seemed to see and understand much more than anyone else Jack had ever met. Also Teal'c knew both him and Daniel better than anyone else, was it really hard to believe that he could understand how much the young man had come to mean to him? 

With that thought in mind, Jack settled back in his seat to watch Daniel...and to daydream. His mind drifted on a sea of possibilities. Mundane things like he and Daniel shopping for groceries to prepare a meal together. A meal they would share by candlelight to the accompaniment of gentle music and tender confessions. To be followed by sweet kisses and arousing moans as they touched and learned each other's bodies. He could hear the moans...hang on, he really could hear moaning. 

He sat up and leaned towards Daniel. No doubt about it, the sounds were coming from Daniel but he still didn't seem to be awake. Then Jack understood, he was still asleep, but restless; this was a nightmare. 

The moans became muttering and the muttering became words, broken and disjointed at first but Jack heard his name amongst the murmuring. 

"No...strong...tell...truth...can't...Jack...help...stop...please...Jack.... 

Jack leaned closer, speaking quietly so as not to shock him. "Daniel, wake up. It's all right now. You're safe. It's Jack." 

"Alone...he said...not really...always here...with me...Jack...help me go, Jack?" 

"Oh god, no Daniel. You're safe now. It's Jack." 

"Miss Jack...love Jack." 

Jack sat frozen. He'd hoped, he'd suspected; maybe he'd even known but to hear Daniel actually say it, even in the midst of a dream; his heart soared. Shaking, his hand reached out and gently brushed the hair back from Daniel's forehead and continued to caress him, fingers gently drifting down his cheek and back across his forehead. Daniel calmed and slipped back into a deep sleep.

* * *

Jack woke up feeling very stiff and a little cold and it took a moment to remember where he was. His arm felt awkward and he moved his fingers encountering something soft and pliable. Daniel! He opened his eyes and found himself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes. 

Daniel smiled. "Morning," he said his voice still a little scratchy. 

"Daniel," Jack smiled back. "Do ya need a drink?" Jack offered him a few ice chips, which Daniel took gratefully. "I'm so glad to see you awake and aware. Now Daniel Jackson, when you're better we're going to have a few words." 

Daniel heard the restrained anger in the voice and he winced. "I never expected to have to face this." 

"Face what?" Jack was puzzled. 

"Your anger." 

"No, ya never expected to live, didja? How the hell could you do that?" 

"It seemed a good idea at the time." How could he possibly tell Jack the truth; that at the time it seemed the lesser of two evils; that he'd already lost Jack and without him life hadn't seemed worth living. 

"WHAT?" 

"Colonel O'Neill, this is neither the time nor the place for this. Daniel needs to rest. If you have any questions they must wait." 

"Sorry Doc," Jack turned back to Daniel. "Sorry Daniel, you just had me so damned worried." 

"I know, I'm sorry too." 

"We _will_ talk, later." 

Daniel nodded knowing Jack had the right to expect answers but how could he tell him the truth. Yet what else would he accept? Could Daniel lie to him? He could keep secrets from Jack; that Daniel already knew but he had never deliberately lied to him.

* * *

Daniel's recovery proceeded as expected without complications and after a few days he was driving Doc Fraiser nuts with his constant requests to be allowed to do some work. He was supposed to be resting but he seemed even more edgy than was normal even for him. His team-mates spent as much time with him as they could. They had been on stand down for the first couple of days to recover from the last mission but then they'd been returned to duty. 

Sam had projects to keep her busy in the lab; Teal'c was training the new recruits, a job he always enjoyed. Jack was less happy, having been ordered by the general to catch up on his long overdue paperwork. Whenever they could escape they dropped in to visit with Daniel and have a few words with the other patients still recovering from the difficult mission. 

Surprisingly, Jack's visits did not seem to calm the younger man as once they would have, in fact he seemed more restless than ever after he'd been visited. Jack, of course, suspected the reason for this but it was not something he could share so when Doc Fraiser or Sam asked what was wrong he shrugged and pretended not to know. Teal'c didn't comment only confirming Jack's belief that he understood Daniel's frame of mind too. 

Jack just wanted to get Daniel home so they could talk. So when Janet Fraiser asked him to call in to see her, he assumed it would be about discharging Daniel and wanting someone, namely him, to look after the younger man at home for a few days. What he didn't expect though, and he should have, was the Doc's suggestion that Daniel should see Mackenzie. 

Janet expected the colonel to be annoyed, his earlier reaction in the briefing had signalled that fact but he surprised her with his calm attitude and even more so with his ready answer. Though with his background in strategic planning she realised she ought not to be surprised. 

"Doc," he said calmly. "The last thing Daniel needs is that quack. You know damned well how he feels about him. I understand only too well that he needs to talk about this and so far he's just sweeping it under the carpet. All he seems to want to do is get back to work." He stood up and began pacing, his nervous energy apparent in his ever moving hands. "Doc, let me take him home, either to my place or his, it doesn't matter. You've seen my file Doc; I've been through something similar." 

"Iraq?" 

"Yeah. I had a ...difficult time with counsellors and psychologists and I don't want Daniel to have to go through that. He's had enough grief." 

Janet frowned. "You know he needs to talk about it." 

"Sure but not with Mackenzie. If he'll talk to anyone it'll be with me and I've already warned him he's gotta talk to me." 

"Is that why he's been so nervous around you lately?" she asked. 

Inwardly Jack winced, he'd hoped she hadn't noticed but he should have known better; the little Napoleon noticed everything to do with her patients. She could also see through a lie. "Sorta, it's part of it anyhow. He knows I'm mad at him for staying behind like that and he knows he's in for it but he also knows he deserves it. He should never have done that but he knows I understand why and I'm grateful that he cares that much." 

"He also knows you'd have done the same for him if you'd thought of it first." 

"Ya think?" he frowned, thinking out loud. "Once I'd never have doubted that but since Christmas he's been different." 

"He still knows that, Jack." He looked at her then. She never called him Jack unless they were off duty, or she wanted to talk off the record, "But he doesn't really see that you care that much for him too." 

He stared at her but didn't answer. She hadn't asked after all. 

After a moment he sat down again. "Forget Mackenzie, let me take him home. What would you say to a few days away, relaxing, doing the things he really enjoys?" 

"What do you have in mind?" 

"He's forgotten but we had leave booked. Four days in Chicago and tickets to the new Egyptian exhibit there." 

She smiled, "And whose idea was that?" 

"Mine!" he grinned as she frowned then laughed. "Scout's honour," he put a hand to his heart and with the other hand made the scout's signal. Seriously he added, "It was my Christmas gift to him." 

Janet Fraiser looked at the man she thought she knew and realised he had hidden depths she would like to know more about.

* * *

Daniel had been staying with Jack for two days now and it had been so difficult. It had been a choice between seeing Mackenzie and baring his soul to that quack or recuperating with Jack as his watchdog. To tell the truth it had been a difficult choice, he hated the idea of seeing Mackenzie but he'd been afraid to stay with Jack. He'd also been desperate to spend some time with Jack. He really _did_ need to see Mackenzie! 

Not that he'd escaped the psychology; he'd just experienced the Jack O'Neill version. First the lecture - what the hell did you think you were doing? Followed by ten minutes of how not to behave in the field, how not to usurp your C.O., how not to give said C.O. heart failure. It had petered out somewhat after that rather to Daniel's surprise. 

Though a little later Jack had sat him down again and insisted that Daniel talk to him about his torture. At first he'd balked and then Jack told him that he needed to know. He admitted that he felt a terrible guilt for what Daniel experienced and when Daniel tried to say it was all his own fault, Jack reminded him that he'd walked away and left Daniel behind and the next time he saw him...Jack couldn't stand the imagining, he needed to know. 

It was difficult but Daniel told Jack everything that happened. At first he'd sat on the sofa while Jack sat in the armchair by the fire. As time passed, Jack moved over to sit next to him, as his voice cracked a little and the tears filled his eyes, till in the end Jack took him in his arms to comfort him as he cried. 

Jack murmured to him, saying he understood, telling him that with time it would get easier. "It never really goes away but you do learn to live with it. I have to warn you Danny, you will have nightmares and even now I still get flashbacks." 

Daniel looked up then through watery eyes. " _You_ get flashbacks?" 

Jack realised what he'd said and in that moment he recognised that perhaps the easiest way to help Daniel would be to show the younger man that Jack really understood. 

"Yeah, after all these years I still get flashbacks and nightmares about my four months in prison in Iraq," he said flatly. 

"That's what you...dream about." 

Jack raised an eyebrow at that. "You mean that's what I yell and scream about. That's why you duck when you wake me, 'cause you learned early on it's better than getting a black eye." 

"Four months Jack?" Daniel asked quietly. 

"Four months in hell." Jack didn't realise how cold his eyes became just then. 

He settled back on the sofa, one arm still draped across Daniel's shoulders as the young man leaned against him and he spoke, slowly at first of how he'd be left behind, abandoned for dead by his team before being captured and tortured by the Iraqis. 

As Daniel listened, his heart breaking at what Jack had endured, he found the tears rolling down his cheeks were no longer just for himself and they no longer seemed maudlin now they felt cleansing. 

"One last thing Daniel. No more playing the sacrificial lamb, please. My grey hair can't take it." 

As Jack had intended, Daniel smiled a little. "Ya think!" 

Jack grinned and hoping he'd lightened the mood suggested Daniel should go to bed and try to sleep. Daniel didn't think he had a cat in hell's chance of sleeping but he'd drifted off almost immediately and dreamed of sleeping in Jack's arms and waking to Jack's loving. He'd felt quite bereft that morning when he'd woken alone. 

They'd spent a quiet day together. Daniel lay on the sofa reading while Jack caught up on the chores. Then he sat watching Jack in the yard, mowing and weeding. He wanted to help but Jack said that Janet would skin him alive. He had strict instructions that Doctor Jackson must rest, take his medications, eat properly, not drink coffee and rest again. No work, not even translations. Daniel had smiled at Jack's fake scared expression; at least he thought it was a fake. 

Just then Jack was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Jack kept it quiet but he was a pretty good cook. Oh, nothing fancy but what he did cook he cooked to perfection. Like everything else about Jack O'Neill Daniel thought absently. Jack seemed a little withdrawn during the afternoon. Anyone else and Daniel would have thought him nervous. 

"Come on, Daniel, time to eat," Jack called from the dining room. 

"Wow, what is _this_ about?" Daniel asked on seeing the table set with a cloth, napkins, good crockery and a candle. 

"Just thought we should celebrate." 

"Celebrate what?" Daniel asked puzzled. 

"You're here safe. I'm here safe. That's a good enough reason for me." 

"Good enough for me too." 

Daniel wasn't all that hungry but he ate as much as he could, mostly to please Jack and then he sat back and watched him. 

Sensing he was being observed, Jack looked up. He stared at Daniel for a moment and then he smiled. "Daniel, do you remember last Christmas?" 

"Course," he replied quietly. _How could I ever forget such a wonderful few days, until...._

"Me too. I loved your gift," he said glancing at the bronze in pride of place on his mantel. 

"Thanks," Daniel blushed. 

"I thought you'd liked mine too," Jack said softly. 

"I...I...of course I did." He almost forgotten, in all this upheaval he had forgotten the actual date, all he could remember was that it was sometime at the end of January. 

"It's this weekend, Daniel," Jack said gently. 

_Oh god. It can't be._ "This weekend?" he repeated stupidly. 

"I checked with the Doc and you can travel. If you want, that is. Do you still want to go to Chicago, with me?" 

Daniel remembered his joy at opening that gift, joy that doubled when he realised that Jack wanted to accompany him. He could almost feel the warmth of pleasure that washed over him when Jack told him he wanted Daniel to meet his family. Then Daniel realised he _could_ feel it; he was feeling it, now. Of course, he wanted to go. How could he ever have thought otherwise? He smiled at Jack. 

"Of course, I want to go to Chicago with you. I just hadn't realised it was this weekend. So much has happened I don't know if I'm on my head or my heels." 

Jack laughed, "I'll make sure you're on your feet. We'll go to your place later and pack your bags. We'll have a good time, Daniel." 

Jack wandered into the kitchen to get coffee and desert and Daniel watched him go. 

They'd had a great day and it felt almost like a rewind of Christmas except this time Daniel had no nasty surprises lying in wait. He knew what was on offer and what wasn't. Yet Daniel still had no inkling of who had written that letter, who Jack was seeing. It crossed Daniel's mind then that they were going away for four days; would Jack's partner - _god it hurt to even think that_ \- be concerned about that? He had the sudden urge to ask Jack but stopped himself realising it was little more that curiosity - _and jealousy, at least be honest with yourself Daniel. Don't spoil it, even if it means taking stolen time with Jack, isn't it worth it? Isn't it?_

* * *

Daniel stood on the balcony of their hotel suite; it must have cost Jack a fortune, even for three nights. Daniel wished they could really be here as a couple not just two good friends but if this was all he could have, it would have to be enough.... _well it would wouldn't it?_ The balcony door opened and Jack stepped out. 

"Daniel, erm, can we talk?" 

"Sure Jack, what's up?" 

"No, Daniel, I mean really talk." 

Daniel couldn't take his eyes off Jack. There was an expression in his eyes that Daniel had never seen there before. For Jack to ask to talk, it had to be really important. 

"Of course, Jack. You want to sit, inside?" 

Jack just nodded and opening the balcony door stepped inside. Daniel followed and headed for the large sofa, sitting at one end. Jack perched on the coffee table nearby. He seemed nervous. 

"What do you want to talk about?" 

Jack took a breath, "Christmas, you, me and what went wrong." 

Daniel sucked in a breath; whatever he expected it hadn't been this. "What?" 

"Please Daniel, this is too important. Things were going really well. Don't try and tell me that you didn't sense it too. We'd both been dancing round each other for months and then we were both on the same page at the same time." 

"I...I." Daniel suddenly stopped and dropped his eyes. 

"Daniel, what happened? I ...I know you care. That's why you offered to stay with Khepri, isn't it? So why the silence now?" Jack frowned, cocking his head on one side. "Is it me? Is that it, don't you believe that I care?" 

The question sparked an anger in Daniel that he hadn't realised he still carried. "Oh I know you care, the question is who is it that you care about, 'cause it isn't me," he snapped. 

"What?" Jack asked confused. 

Daniel sighed, his anger fading as quickly as it had arisen. "I read the letter Jack. That's what happened at Christmas. I thought I had found something special at your house, I thought I'd finally come home only instead, I found out the real truth. It hurt Jack." 

"I don't understand." 

"Oh I know I had no right to any expectations, I know I was a fool." 

"No, Daniel. You weren't," Jack replied distracted. "But this letter, I don't understand about this letter. What letter?" 

Daniel closed his eyes and sighed. This was supposed to be special and it had all gone wrong yet again. _Just get it out of the way, Daniel. End it once and for all._

"You were drunk; you fell asleep on the couch. I couldn't sleep and came down to talk to you and instead I went to throw a rug over you and you were clutching the letter." The words fell from his lips as if by rote. "I took it off you and dropped it on the coffee table. God knows I wish I'd never read it and I don't know why I did." 

"Daniel, I don't remember. You said I was drunk," Jack frowned. "Wait, you read a letter. My letter, you read _my_ letter?" Jack hesitated a moment trying to remember. His eyes widened. "Daniel, can you remember any of it?" 

Daniel snapped open his eyes, eyes that were cold. "I can remember every word." He stood up and moved away from Jack. "This part I found particularly memorable," he said his voice as cold as his eyes. _"I'll never forget that wonderful night my love, it was like the first time all over again. I had let myself forget how you make me feel with just a kiss, just a touch...remember? No one makes me feel as alive as you do. I can remember what you whispered to me when you came, do you? - You fill me as I fill you"._ He stopped speaking and turning slowly, he asked. "Is that enough for you?" 

Jack stood up slowly and turned to Daniel. "Yes. I've read those words so many times I know the whole letter by heart. I like this part - _I just need to remember what you said as you left that morning - that this is beginning of the rest of our lives together. Never forget that as I am yours, you are mine."_ He moved to stand in front of Daniel who stood his ground but wouldn't look at Jack. "I treasured those words when Sarah first wrote them to me and I kept that letter close to my heart for many years. After he...died and Sarah left, I kept the letter in the back of his photograph on the mantel." 

Daniel looked up then and he flushed. "Many years? Sarah?" 

"Yes. We'd had a fight, it wasn't the first or the last but she left and went to a hotel. After two days of stewing in my own juice I went after her." Jack smiled at the memory. "We made up, we made love and we made Charlie." 

"Charlie?" Daniel breathed, shock reverberating through him. _Sarah, the letter was from Sarah. Charlie?_

"Yes, Charlie. That night. That letter became precious; I always carried it with me in my wallet. Afterwards.... I put it behind Charlie's photo." Jack reached out and gently took Daniel's wrist. His fingers rubbing a circle on the back of his hand, Jack continued. "Daniel, that night, at Christmas I made a choice." Daniel's eyes zoomed in on Jack's hand on his wrist and then he lifted his eyes to Jack's. "I took the letter out because I was saying goodbye, not to Sarah and certainly not to Charlie but to the life I had led then. The choice I made was to start anew, with you Daniel." 

"With me?" Daniel asked breathlessly. 

"I love you, Daniel." 

Daniel opened and then closed his mouth, then he opened it again but all that came out was, "Huh!" 

Jack laughed, "Well if that's your declaration, it's different." 

"I...Jack, I love you too." 

"I know." Jack closed the final distance between them and taking Daniel's face in his hands he gently took his lips in a tender kiss. 

Fire raced through Daniel's veins at that first touch and ignited a need for so much more. He leaned into Jack's embrace and pressed his lips firmly back against Jack's. His tongue flicked out and licked at Jack's lips and with a moan, Jack opened to welcome Daniel in. Filled with passion, the kiss became urgent and Jack's hands slipped around Daniel, one on the back of his neck and the other dropped around his waist to pull him in closer. Daniel pressed his body against Jack's and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, one hand sliding up to caress the silvered hair. 

Suddenly Jack felt a hand pressed against his chest and Daniel was pushing away from him. 

"Wait Jack, please. Just back off a moment." 

Jack sighed but did as he was asked. "What Daniel?" Jack grinned about to make a sly comment when the words died at the expression on Daniel's face. Something was still bothering him. 

"You said you'd decided that night to make a new start with me but you never said a word." 

Jack should have known it wouldn't be that easy with Daniel. "I know and it wasn't just because I realised the next day that something had upset you, though that did put a damper on things. But Daniel, I've been in love with you for a long time but I thought you only saw me as a friend and though it wasn't what I really wanted I'd settled for that. But I began to see things, sense things and over Christmas it all became clear to me." Jack moved away to sit down on the sofa. "I've messed up with you too many times to risk it again just because I couldn't wait to do things properly." 

"I don't understand." 

"Like I said, I've been in love with you for years." 

"Years?" 

Jack shrugged. "Yeah and I sure as hell wasn't gonna rush you and ruin it. I was gonna woo you, make sure you really understood and then," he grinned sheepishly. 

"And then?" Daniel moved closer perching on the arm of the sofa. 

"There was always Chicago." 

"Back up there fly boy. You bought this gift for me before your revelation on Christmas Day right? Oh, wait you brought me here to _meet your parents!"_

"Oh for crying out loud! The idea was exactly what I told you when I gave you the envelope." 

"Jaaack." 

"Okay afterwards I thought it would be the ideal opportunity if things panned out, kinda like a hon...." 

"Don't you dare say that word!" 

"Sorry, couldn't resist." 

"Jack? I'm sorry too." 

"For what?" 

"Reading your letter. Jumping to conclusions and making a mess of everything. If only I just asked you none of this would've...I'm sorry. We've wasted so much time." 

"Daniel, we all make mistakes. I should've talked to you. I was a fool for not trusting my feelings, trusting you." 

Daniel slipped from the arm of the sofa down onto the seat. "Let's not waste any more time." 

"How long Daniel?" 

Daniel dipped his head. "It was growing for a long time before I even realised it. Saying goodbye to you on Apophis' ship really brought it home to me, though I wouldn't admit to myself until later." 

"Oh Danny," Jack murmured pulling Daniel towards him, remembering the pain of that time too. He pulled him into a hug reminiscent of the one in the Gateroom but this time, the hug segued into a passionate kiss, as they needed to be close and closer still. Daniel held Jack, his hand behind the colonel's neck, fingers caressing the nape and his other hand in the small of his back. Jack leaned into Daniel pushing him back into the cushions. 

With a desperate urgency that neither wanted to deny, they pushed against each other trying to get as close as possible until the need to feel skin overtook them. Daniel yanked at Jack's tee-shirt trying to pull it over his head as Jack tried to unbutton Daniel's shirt but found his fingers shaking too much, till in a surge of frustration at its defiance, he grabbed at the shirt until it tore and he pulled its remains from Daniel's body. 

Daniel laughed revelling in Jack's need of him. "That's my shirt!" 

"It was in the way," Jack growled but he added, "d'ya mind really?" 

"Hell no! Whatever you want, Jack." 

"You're all I want." 

Daniel wrestled Jack backwards until he was lying down and Daniel climbed on top of him, fiddling with his zipper. Jack got with the programme and began to unfasten Daniel's pants, fumbling in his desperation. In record time both men were lying naked, wrapped up in each other's arms. The kissing migrated to anywhere but the lips and hips rocked in time to the moans as their cocks jostled each other for position. 

Reason fled when passion took control and each man tried to get as close to the other as possible, licking and nipping across any portion of skin they could reach, Jack mumbling around mouthfuls of Daniel's nipples. 

"Waited so long, so long." 

"Oh, Jack, you feel so wonderful," Daniel murmured, hands skimming down Jack's hips. 

As they pushed against each other creating a perfect rhythm, they felt their orgasms build and they blindly reached one for the other, kissing with abandon eyes, ears and finally mouths, tongues battling even as their cocks battled each other. Balls tightened as sensation ripped through each man as they climaxed together, their seed mingling to coat their abdomens. They collapsed against each other holding tight, gasping for breath, feeling their hearts begin to slow to a more normal rhythm. 

"Oh wow!" gasped Daniel. 

"Yeahsureyoubetcha." Jack was so relaxed he didn't think he could move. 

"Ooh, it's been a while. Forgot how messy it was." 

"Bathroom?" 

They laughed as they clambered over each other and moved to the bathroom, Jack following Daniel and openly admiring his butt. Daniel glanced over his shoulder and smirked at his colonel. They cleaned each other up, stopping for kisses frequently. 

Jack grinned, "The bedroom?" 

"Yours or mine?" Daniel teased. 

"Who gives a fuck!" 

"That depends." 

"Ya think! On what?" 

"Ya got any experience? Ya got any lube?" 

Jack hesitated and turned back to Daniel. "That's a serious question, you wanna talk?" 

"I hadn't meant it like that, but yeah, I guess." 

"Let's get comfy."

* * *

They were settled in the large bed, Daniel laying against Jack's side, his arms around the older man's waist as he leaned back against the headboard. Jack leaned down to nuzzle Daniel's hair before leaning back again. 

"I suppose it's fair to say I'm bisexual, Danny but you are the first man I've been interested in since I was seventeen. I don't mean I haven't looked and I have considered it a couple of times but it was never important enough for me to take the risk while I was in the Air Force. Then I fell for Sarah and forgot about men, forgot about anyone else. We had a good marriage; as good as any military marriage can be that is. I was away too often but Sarah seemed content especially after Charlie arrived. I was too, mostly. Till things fell apart and I went on a suicide mission and met the person who made everything worthwhile. I think I fell for you even then, though I never realised it till I came home and couldn't get you out of my mind." 

"I had no idea." 

"And you, Daniel?" 

"Yeah, bi too, though until I met Sha're I'd have said gay. I had a couple of boyfriends in college and even a girlfriend but good as that was, it finally convinced me I preferred men." 

"But Sha're was different?" 

"Oh yeah. I really loved her, Jack." 

"I know that's why I'd never have said anything." 

Daniel smiled, "And you're the only other person to whom I've ever said 'I love you'; I do you know, very much." 

"You're not gonna get sappy are you?" Jack grinned. 

Daniel didn't deign to answer, merely raising an eyebrow. 

"I will tell you this. I love you enough that if it came to a choice between my career in the Air Force and you, I'd choose you every time." 

"You can't!" 

"I can and I will. I hope it won't come to that. We'll have to be discreet, but I've come too far, down too many hard roads to give up now. Would you give me up if our positions were reversed?" 

"God no, I'll never give you up. You'll have to send me away." Daniel was fervent. 

"Then we'll grow old and die together," Jack said softly. 

Daniel leaned in close. "You never answered my question you know?" 

"What question?" 

"Do you have any lube?" 

"Not much good at seduction if I don't bring supplies." 

"It's been a long time for both of us but I want you, Jack. I want to feel you inside, I want to know what it's like to be filled by you." 

Feeling his cock swell at the suggestion, Jack sucked in his breath. "Oh god Danny, I so want you." 

"Then take what you want." Daniel breathed the words as anticipation spread through him. It had been a long time since he'd been loved like this and it had always been special to him and not a reckless or importune act. It wasn't just sex to Daniel, it was an act of love and in giving himself to Jack, he was declaring and receiving love. 

Jack grabbed Daniel and rolled him over onto his back, swooping down to take his lips in a bruising kiss. Daniel's hands were roaming all over Jack's body, up and down his spine, across his shoulders and down each arm, intermingling fingers for a moment until he moved one arm across and gently fondled Jack's semi-erect cock. Jack gasped at the sudden sensation as he tentatively thrust into the younger man's hand. 

After a few moments Jack said, "Keep that up and I won't be much use to you." 

Daniel giggled and with one last lingering caress, released him. 

Jack raised himself gazing into the heavy lidded blue eyes beneath him before rolling over to reach into one of the nightstand drawers. He pulled out a small tube and dangled it triumphantly in front of Daniel before dropping it on the pillow next to him. 

The desperation of their first hasty coupling had faded and they lay back, gently exploring each other, kissing languorously or laving sensitive skin. Jack moved slowly down Daniel's body still in awe at the way he trusted Jack to let him do this, until he reached Daniel's buttocks where he gently kneaded the muscles until Daniel felt he would melt. Jack's hands drifted along the cleft and Daniel moaned and arched his back. 

"Easy," he said as he rolled Daniel onto his side. He retrieved the tube and squeezing a little onto his fingers, began to massage the lube around Daniel's opening until he gently slipped one finger inside. 

Daniel squirmed and murmured, "Yes Jack that's it, oh more." 

Jack smiled and slipped a second finger in to join the first, moving in and out and scissoring his fingers to loosen and stretch him. He moved his other hand and took one of Danny's balls into his hand and rolled it before moving over to repeat the motion with the other testicle. Daniel moaned and bit down on Jack's shoulder, causing him to yelp in surprise. In retaliation he thrust his third finger inside and almost to his own surprise, found Daniel's prostate. Daniel gasped, his eyes springing open. Jack grinned and reached for it again. 

"God Jack, I'd forgotten how wonderful that is," he gasped. 

"You'll have to show me, I've never done this." 

"What? But you said..." 

"I said I'd had some experience when I was around seventeen but not since. I've never had penetrative sex. To tell the truth I've never trusted anyone enough to want to do it. You can show me what it feels like." 

"You're in for a treat," Daniel smiled. "Now do that again and then I want to feel you." 

Jack brushed the spot again before withdrawing his fingers and Daniel immediately felt the loss. Jack lubed up his cock, already hard just from the anticipation of being inside Daniel. 

"Roll onto your stomach, Danny." 

"No, I want to watch you." 

"I thought it was easiest if you lay face down." 

"Maybe, but I've dreamed of this and I need to see; to know that this is real." 

"Oh, this is real Danny, so real it's scary." He pressed the head of his cock against Daniel's opening, pushing slightly. 

"Ready?" 

"If you don't get a move on I'll get behind you and push." 

"Oh my slutty linguist; who'd have guessed?" Jack pushed slowly, a little afraid of hurting Daniel and nervous of his inexperience. 

"That's it Jack, slow and steady, oh yeah, ooh, that's it." 

Jack grinned at the idea of Daniel lecturing even now. "You wanna draw me a diagram?" 

"Bastard. Ooh Jack." 

"Yeah, wow. I didn't expect you to be so tight, or so fucking hot. Danny I...I.." 

Daniel couldn't speak. He'd just fulfilled his most precious fantasy; he finally had Jack O'Neill precisely where he wanted him and it felt marvellous; the sensations running through him as he tried to relax his burning muscles, a long forgotten joy. He grinned and expecting it was probably going to cause as much pain as pleasure, he tensed his ass muscles gripping the invader inside. 

Jack gasped, "Danny!" 

"This might be fun but move it fly boy!" 

Jack did as instructed and pulled out gently before thrusting back in firmly. Daniel grunted and lifted his legs a little higher to settle more comfortably so that when Jack thrust in next time he felt the slap of Jack's balls against his ass. Perfect. 

Daniel got almost as much pleasure from watching Jack's face suffused with wonder, breaking out in sweat, eyes squeezed shut. He must have sensed Daniel's scrutiny for he opened his eyes and on seeing the younger man studying him he smiled, the same special smile that had meant so much to Daniel at Christmas and Daniel felt tears prick his eyes. 

Jack was in awe of the sensations crashing though him and when he opened his eyes to see Daniel looking at him in amazement, he fell in love all over again. Whatever had he done to deserve this remarkable man's love? He leaned over to kiss Daniel feeling the hard pressure of Daniel's cock against his stomach as he did so. He took Daniel's mouth in a passionate kiss as he thrust in and out of his body, the movement as they rubbed against each other creating a delicious friction that sent vibrations racing through Daniel. 

"Oh god Jack, more, more," he sighed. "Faster, oh god, oh god," he muttered as the older man hit his prostate time after time. 

The impending climax began in his toes and travelled like lightening up Jack's legs and into his groin. "Danny, I think...yeah, yeah I'm gonna...can't hold...." He threw his head back, eyes wide as the orgasm ripped through him, mouth open in a silent scream. 

Daniel gripped the bedding under his hands as Jack's seed filled him to completion, the knowledge triggering his own climax, his back arching as his semen coated both of them again. 

As his brain cells began to fire up again Daniel became aware that he could still feel Jack's cock throbbing inside him and he turned to look at Jack, collapsed across him. The sight of him gasping for breath in post-orgasmic ecstasy took his breath away and filled him with so much love he thought he would burst. He reached over and caressed Jack's cheek and then let his fingers glide across those luscious lips. Jack opened up and gently sucked his fingers, his eyes fixed firmly on Daniel. 

Daniel grinned and withdrew them to make a moist trail down Jack's body. Well if that's an indication of how well you learn," he said as his fingers gently drift along Jack's length, "I can't imagine how it'll be when you finally pass your exams." 

FIN


End file.
